symbolic role

collocation in English

meaningsofsymbolicandrole

These words are often used together. Click on the links below to explore the meanings. Or,see other collocations withrole.
symbolic
adjective
uk
/sɪmˈbɒl.ɪk/us
/sɪmˈbɑː.lɪk/
representing ...
See more atsymbolic
role
noun[C]
uk
/rəʊl/us
/roʊl/
the position or purpose that someone or something has in a situation, organization, society, ...
See more atrole

(Definition ofsymbolicandrolefrom theCambridge English Dictionary© Cambridge University Press)

Examplesofsymbolic role

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.
Within these events the conductor plays the most importantsymbolicrole.
From theCambridge English Corpus
The abundance of flagstone has recorded the 'ebb and flow and intermixture' of the islands, narrating a specificallysymbolicrole.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Fishermen and their wives have lost theirsymbolicrolein the national discourse on masculinity and femininity.
From theCambridge English Corpus
Now from a post-mortem perspective, an infant victim may find some intrinsic value in having played thissymbolicrolefor an onlooker.
From theCambridge English Corpus
For there is no reason to think that thesymbolicrolethe infant played for the onlooker could not have been played by something or someone else.
From theCambridge English Corpus
As well as having genuine economic significance, it will play an importantsymbolicrole.
FromEuroparl Parallel Corpus - English
Participation in appointments will serve an effective as well as asymbolicrole.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under theOpen Parliament Licence v3.0
Identification appears to be crucial for employees, and corporate visual identity probably plays asymbolicrolein creating such identification.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The lake or pond has an importantsymbolicrolein the garden.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
When these hopes were disappointed, the government in exile faded away to a purelysymbolicrole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
But, he relied much more on the army for his support, and reduced the sole legal party to asymbolicrole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
In a similar sense, water plays asymbolicrolein diverse ways in the text-often, with dual/opposite meanings.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Besides its functional role in securing the alb and stole, the cincture bears asymbolicrole, signifying chastity and purity.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The festival was redesigned to focus on promoting international friendship, the originalsymbolicroleof the gift of tulips.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Some argue that the image of family only plays asymbolicroleby reflecting the current cultural values.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
The kingdom survived during and after the colonial period, but with a largelysymbolicrole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
Clearly his hair plays asymbolicrole.
From
Wikipedia
This example is from Wikipedia and may be reused under a CC BY-SA license.
To this end, we are directed to the economic, administrative, and symbolic roles of the fortress within the rural context.
From theCambridge English Corpus
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 ofrole
See other collocations withrole