Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
sig·nif·i·cant
\\-kənt\\ adjective ETYMOLOGY Latin significant-, significans, present participle of significare to signify
DATE 1579
1. having meaning; especially : suggestive
a significant glance2.
a. having or likely to have influence or effect : important
a significant piece of legislation
also : of a noticeably or measurably large amount
a significant number of layoffs
producing significant profits
b. probably caused by something other than mere chance
statistically significant correlation between vitamin deficiency and disease significant
1570s, from L. significant-, stem of significans, prp. of significare (see signify).
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7
☞ significantsig·nifi·cant /
si^5nifikEnt /
adjective1. large or important enough to have an effect or to be noticed
有重大意义的；显着的:
a highly significant discovery 有重大意义的发现
The results of the experiment are not statistically significant. 从统计学的观点看,实验结果意义不明显。
There are no significant differences between the two groups of students. 这两组学生没有明显差别。
Your work has shown a significant improvement. 你的工作有了显着改进。
It is significant that girls generally do better in examinations than boys. 很明显,女生的考试成绩一般比男生的好。⇨ compare
insignificant
2. having a particular meaning
有某种意义的:
It is significant that he changed his will only days before his death. 他在临终前几天修改遗嘱,这很能说明问题。3. [usually before noun] having a special or secret meaning that is not understood by everyone
别有含义的；意味深长的
SYN meaningful
:
a significant look / smile 意味深长的眼神/微笑 Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishsignificant
adj.
VERBS be, prove | become | remain | consider sth (as), deem sth, regard sth as, see sth as, think sth, view sth as The move was regarded as significant in Japan.
ADV. deeply, extremely, highly, particularly, very | fairly, quite | statistically These differences are not statistically significant.
PREP. for This development proved highly significant for the whole town. | to rituals which are deeply significant to Christians
significant adj.
⇨ important
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged
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significant figures
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sig·nif·i·cantI. \-kənt\
adjectiveEtymology: Latin
significant-, significans, present participle of
significare to signify — more at
signify
1. : having meaning;
especially : full of import
: suggestive
,
expressive
< the painter's task to pick out the significant details — Herbert Read >
< significant anecdote >2.
a. : suggesting or containing some concealed, disguised, or special meaning
: standing as a sign or token
< perhaps her glance was significant >
b. : indicative
< his actions were more significant of his real purpose than were his words >3.
a. : having or likely to have influence or effect
: deserving to be considered
: important
,
weighty
,
notable
< even though the individual results may seem small, the total of them is significant — F.D.Roosevelt >
b. : characterized by conveyance of an idea, thought, or feeling
< transform what would otherwise be meaningless juxtapositions or sequences of sensations into significant entities — Vernon Lee >
c. : probably caused by something other than mere chance
< significant decrease in average yearly growth >
< statistically significant correlation between vitamin deficiency and disease >
d. : characteristic and essential to the determination of some larger element of a language
: distinctive
< a significant grammatical form >
< every language … moves within a clearly definable range of significant speech sounds — R.A.Hall b.1911 >
< the difference between the initial sounds of keel and cool is not significant in English >Synonyms: see expressive
II. noun
(
-s)
: something that has or conveys significance
: sign
,
token
,
symbol