“Signifier” and “signified” are terms used in one branch of linguistics and literary criticism to describe the components of a sign: the signifier, to put it simply, is the word, and the signified is the thing or idea it represents. Signifiers needn’t be confined to words; they can include any system of representation, including drawings, traffic lights, body language, and so on. Much of the literary criticism of the last twenty-five years has focused on the relationship between the signifier and signified, and therefore on the very nature of meaning.
Note: This guide is still in the early stages of development.
Three question marks mean I have to write more on the subject. Bear with me.