symbolic function

collocation in English

meaningsofsymbolicandfunction

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withfunction.
symbolic
adjective
uk
/sɪmˈbɒl.ɪk/us
/sɪmˈbɑː.lɪk/
representing ...
See more atsymbolic
function
noun
uk
/ˈfʌŋk.ʃən/us
/ˈfʌŋk.ʃən/
the natural purpose (of something) or the duty (of ...
See more atfunction

(Definition ofsymbolicandfunctionfrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofsymbolic function

These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Its importance lies less in its legal or institutional applicability and more in itssymbolicfunction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
These ideas indicate a lack of understanding of thesymbolicfunctionof letters in words.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Several techniques are applied in order to introduce parallelism, including partial evaluation andsymbolicfunctionrepresentation.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Information on composers, performers and other producers, as they are mentioned in the sleeve notes, also has asymbolicfunction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Of course, we cannot claim that our use of the preferential looking task necessarily involves referential orsymbolicfunction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Otherwise, how do children manage to grasp the complex and highly abstractsymbolicfunctionof their first words so quickly and so easily?
From theCambridge English Corpus
The emotional impact perhaps depended on the correlation between thesymbolicfunctionassociated with the sound of the siren and their personal knowledge.
From theCambridge English Corpus
It goes without saying that thesymbolicfunctionof law need not go hand in hand with the causal efficacy of law.
From theCambridge English Corpus
One aspect of the problem is that tablets were not just tools, but were objects which could also serve asymbolicfunction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Becoming aware of thesymbolicfunctionof the written system step by step, children gain familiarity with the alphabetic principle - the particular correspondences between spoken and written units.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Note that this explains the phenomenon in terms of developmental processes internal to the child and which may be part of a generally developingsymbolicfunction.
From theCambridge English Corpus
I also think this means that thesymbolicfunctionwill be lost on our citizens.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
The embellishments served asymbolicfunction.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Those who are responsible for change need to reflect, among other things, on thesymbolicfunctionof a hospital in a community.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Another riddle is the original cultic andsymbolicfunctionof the sphinx.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Hence, illnesses have asymbolicfunctionwhich has to be recognized by both therapist and patient.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
This rather large atrium had a practical as well assymbolicfunction.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
In many traditional cultures, drums have asymbolicfunctionand are used in religious ceremonies.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Takahama attached importance to thesymbolicfunctionof the "kigo" (season word), and he tried to exclude the more modern trend towards season-less haiku completely.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
In traditional weddings, the ancestral temple serves a majorsymbolicfunction, completing the transfer of a woman to her husband's family.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
It had a principled andsymbolicfunctionmanifestly intended to promote respect for the dignity and physical and emotional integrity of all children.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Thesymbolicfunctionsubstage is when children are able to understand, represent, remember, and picture objects in their mind without having the object in front of them.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The fact the gate has entrances but no doors, and can not therefore be closed, emphasizes its purelysymbolicfunctionas a limit between the sacred and the profane.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
In addition to providing a peaceful public open space, it served asymbolicfunction, recalling the town's patriotic past and providing the site for memorials to the town's soldiers.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
Want to learn more?
Go to the definition ofsymbolic
Go to the definition offunction
See other collocations withfunction