To signify means to be a sign of something or to represent a particular meaning. When dark clouds signify an approaching storm, they serve as a signal that rain is coming. When a referee's whistle signifies the end of a game, that sound carries a specific meaning everyone understands.

The word often appears when we're explaining what something means or indicates. A gold medal signifies first place. A raised hand in class signifies you have something to say. In stories, an author might use a breaking mirror to signify bad luck, or a sunrise to signify hope and new beginnings.

Signify can also mean to matter or be important enough to notice. You might say, “That small mistake doesn't signify much,” when something isn't worth worrying about, or “This discovery could signify a major breakthrough” when something truly matters.

The related word significant means important or meaningful. A significant event is one that matters or changes things, like the first successful airplane flight or the invention of the printing press. When something is insignificant, it doesn't signify much at all.