signify and signifier

Semiotics is study of signs and symbols. Signs and symbols develop to words and ideas. A word or an idea can be signified from signs and symbols. Although there is distictions between signify and signifier, they are interplay. Signify is a verb that to mean from a signifier. For example, when we see the word "sister", we image it as a symbol (signifier), then we signify (mean) it a member of our family.