significance - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (original) (raw)

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Inherited from Middle English significaunce, from Middle French significance, from Old French significance, from Latin significantia. Doublet of signifiance.

significance (countable and uncountable, plural significances)

  1. The extent to which something matters; importance
    As a juror your opinion is of great significance for the outcome of the trial.
    • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, Chicago, Ill.: Field Museum of Natural History, →ISBN, page 5:
      Of more significance in the nature of branch development; in the Jubulaceae, as in the Porellaceae, branches are acroscopic and normally replace a ventral leaf lobe.
  2. Meaning.
    the significance of her gesture was unclear

extent to which something matters

meaning

significance

  1. alternative form of significaunce