Significance: Definition, Usage & Key Examples

Meaning 1：importance or meaning (significance)

significance 🔊

/sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/

the importance or meaning of something.

Significance illustrated by a teacher emphasizing the importance of a final exam to attentive students.

importance or meaning 🔊

➕

/ɪmˈpɔːrtəns ɔːr ˈmiːnɪŋ/

Refers to the quality of being important or having a meaning that matters.

📁 Category：School Education 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin 'significare' (to show by signs), from 'signum' (sign) + 'facere' (to make).

💡 Mnemonic

A SIGN that points to something of great importance has SIGN-ificance.

📖 Example

My teacher explained the significance of this final exam, as it counts for 40% of our total grade. 🔊 My teacher explained the importance or meaning of this final exam, as it counts for 40% of our total grade.

🔗 Collocations

historical significance – importance in the context of history

statistical significance – importance in a statistical analysis, indicating results are not due to chance

great significance – very high importance

🔄 Synonyms

importance (n.) – The quality of being significant or of great value.

consequence (n.) – Importance or relevance, especially as a result of an action.

weight (n.) – The influence, importance, or power of something.

🚫 Antonyms

insignificance (n.) – The quality of being unimportant or trivial.

triviality (n.) – Lack of seriousness or importance; something unimportant.

🌱 Derivatives

significant (adj.) – Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention.

significantly (adv.) – In a sufficiently great or important way as to be worthy of attention.

📖 Cultural Story

The term evolved from Latin 'significare', meaning 'to indicate' or 'to mean'. It entered Middle English via Old French, emphasizing the 'importance' derived from something being a clear sign or indicator of a deeper meaning, a concept central to philosophy and science.