semiotic adj.

"relating to significance or meaning," 1894, from French sémantique, applied by Michel Bréal (1883) to the psychology of language, from Greek sēmantikos "significant," from sēmainein "to show by sign, signify, point out, indicate by a sign," from sēma "sign, mark, token; omen, portent; constellation; grave" (Doric sama), from PIE root *dheie- "to see, look" (source also of Sanskrit dhyati "he meditates;" see zen).

The word has tended to become loose in application. Semanticize "invest (something) with meaning; analyze semantically" is by 1942.

1690s, "sign language, the use of gestures to express thought," a sense now obsolete, from Greek sēmeion "a sign, mark, token," from sēma "sign, mark, token" (see semantic, and compare semiotic) + -ology. As "the branch of medical science concerned with morbid symptoms," 1839; as "logical theory of signs" by 1923. Related: Semiological.

1660s, in medicine, "branch of pathology concerned with the body's symptoms;" from semiotic; also see -ics. The meaning "study or doctrine of signs and symbols with special regard to function and origin" is by 1880.