significant

Definitions

sign (a mark, sign) + fic (weakened fac, 'make') + -ant = 'sign-making, meaning-making.' Latin significare meant 'to make signs, to signify.' Something significant 'makes a sign' — it carries meaning and so deserves attention. From 'meaningful' came the everyday sense 'important, sizeable.'

Common Collocations

• 1.significant increase显著增长
• 2.significant difference显著差异
• 3.statistically significant统计上显著的
• 4.significant impact重大影响
• 5.significant other（重要的）伴侣

Example Sentences

• 1.

  There was a significant increase in sales this quarter.

• 2.

  Her research made a significant contribution to the field.

• 3.

  He gave her a significant look.

Easily Confused

significant vs. important: both mean 'mattering,' but significant often implies measurable size or a meaningful difference (a significant rise of 30%), while important is a broader judgment of value (an important decision). In statistics, 'significant' has the technical sense of 'unlikely to be due to chance.'