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Definition of significance noun from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

      

    significance

     noun
    noun
    NAmE//sɪɡˈnɪfəkəns//
     
    [uncountable, countable]
     
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  1. 1the importance of something, especially when this has an effect on what happens in the future a decision of major political significance The new drug has great significance for the treatment of the disease. They discussed the statistical significance of the results. We should be fully aware of the significance of television in shaping our ideas. AWL Collocationssignificantsignificant adjectiveimportant; so large that you notice it
    • change, difference, effect, impact, improvement, increase, reduction
    • contribution
    • correlation
    There were significant climatic differences, including an unusually wet season followed by dry seasons.
    • statistically
    It is necessary to carry out a trial on a statistically significant number of individuals.
    • highly
    The museum owns highly significant and valuable works.
    • culturally, economically, historically, morally, politically, socially
    The collection includes historically significant letters from American presidents.
    • prove
    The research could prove significant in medical and biotechnology fields.insignificant adjective
    • detail
    • decrease, difference, increase
    I will return to these apparently insignificant details in the last section of this paper.
    • statistically
    The small sample size is statistically insignificant.
    • apparently, seemingly
    • relatively
    Seemingly insignificant scratches in glass may cause breakage.significance noun
    • statistical
    In the test, high variability resulted in a lack of statistical significance.
    • assess
    • grasp
    • downplay, underestimate
    There are two very different ways to assess the broader significance of these events.significantly adverbin a noticeable way
    • differ, vary
    Actual markets differ significantly from perfectly competitive markets.
    • lower (than)
    Significantly lower numbers of seals were observed at low tide.
  2. 2the meaning of something She couldn't grasp the full significance of what he had said. Do these symbols have any particular significance?
See significance in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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