English → Latin
“signify” in Latin
significōto show, express, signify, point out; to portend, prognosticate; to call, namedēclārōto declare or announce; to indicate, reveal or testify; to show or provesonōto sound, resound, make a sound or noise (and various sounds in-context); to sound, utter, speak, express, call; to cry valeōto have strength, influence, power; to avail; to be well, healthy, sound; to be worth, be worthyportendōto indicate, point out; to predict, foretell, portendvīsstrength; might; vigor; capability (physical)
The English word signify itself goes back to Latin signum, through significare.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
signify
To betoken, mean, significare: declarare (shoio, declare): sonare (to sound): valere (to avail, contain this or that sense). What does this word signify? quid sonat haec vox? quae vis est hujus vocis? sub hae voce quae subjicienda est vis? to signify one and the same thing, idem significare, declarare, or valere; idem significare ac tantumdem valere: to signify nothing, omni vi carere.
To denote, point out, significare (to denote): indicare (to point out) alicui aliquid; docere alicui aliquid (with a view to teach: ☞ indigitare and innuere in this sense are not Latin; Vid: Ruhnken, Muret., 2, p. 117). To signify by words, voce significare: by circumlocution aliquid circuitu plurium verborum ostendere.
To portend, significare: portendere. That signifies no good to us, id nobis triste futurum est: in omen ea res vertitur: the dream signifies unlimited dominion, somno portenditur orbis terrarum arbitrium: that signifies something ominosus.
To be of moment, valere; vim or auctoritatem habere; aliquo esse numero (of persons): grave esse; alicujus momenti esse; aliquid momenti or discriminis habere (of things).
To signify nothing, nullo esse numero; nullum numerum obtinere; nihil posse or valere (of persons): leve esse; nullius momenti esse (of things).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for signify?
- The usual Latin words for “signify” are significō, dēclārō, sonō; also valeō, portendō, vīs. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.