Sigil
noun /ˈsɪdʒɪl/ — A symbol believed to carry magical or binding power.
Definition
An inscribed or painted symbol considered to have magical power — used in ceremonial magic, alchemy, and occult tradition as a mark of intention, protection, or invocation.
Beyond the definition
A sigil is language stripped down to a single image that holds a complete meaning — a compression of will and intention into a mark. In contemporary usage it has expanded: a tattoo can be a personal sigil, a brand logo carries sigil-like power. We are surrounded by sigils.
Origin & history
Latin 'sigillum' — a small image or seal, diminutive of 'signum' (mark, sign). The same root as 'signal,' 'signature,' and 'insignia.'
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
She drew sigils in the corners of the letter — an old habit from her grandmother.
The company's logo had become a sigil — instantly recognised and carrying weight beyond its design.
Sigils are the magic of making something permanent by marking it.
Synonyms
Antonyms
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Related words
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Griffin sculpture guarding a bridge
A weathered storybook stone griffin with wings and lion anatomy guards a small garden bridge, covered in moss and ivy.
The griffin, as a combined, mythic figure, acts like a sigil—a mark or image intended to have protective, symbolic power. It guards the threshold of the garden, serving as a sign that signifies intention and boundaries in a fantastical, imaginary context.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration