Parallel vs. Symbol — What's the Difference?

Being an equal distance apart everywhere

A symbol is a mark, sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, object, or relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by creating linkages between otherwise very different concepts and experiences.

Of, relating to, or designating two or more straight coplanar lines that do not intersect.

A mark or character used as a conventional representation of an object, function, or process, e.g. the letter or letters standing for a chemical element or a character in musical notation

Of, relating to, or designating two or more planes that do not intersect.

A thing that represents or stands for something else, especially a material object representing something abstract

Of, relating to, or designating a line and a plane that do not intersect.

Symbolize.

Of, relating to, or designating curves or surfaces everywhere equidistant.

Something that represents something else by association, resemblance, or convention, especially a material object used to represent something invisible

Having comparable parts, analogous aspects, or readily recognized similarities

An instance that typifies a broader pattern or situation

Having the same tendency or direction

A printed or written sign used to represent an operation, element, quantity, quality, or relation, as in mathematics or music.

(Grammar) Having identical or equivalent syntactic constructions in corresponding clauses or phrases.

(Psychology) An object or image that an individual unconsciously uses to represent repressed thoughts, feelings, or impulses

Moving in the same direction at a fixed interval

A character or glyph representing an idea, concept or object.

Having the same tonic. Used of scales and keys

A thing considered the embodiment of a concept or object.

(Electronics) Denoting a circuit or part of a circuit connected in parallel.

(linguistics) A type of noun whereby the form refers to the same entity independently of the context; a symbol arbitrarily denotes a referent. See also icon and index.

Of or relating to the simultaneous transmission of all the bits of a byte over separate wires

A summary of a dogmatic statement of faith.

Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations

(crystallography) The numerical expression which defines a plane's position relative to the assumed axes.

In a parallel relationship or manner

(obsolete) That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.

(Mathematics) One of a set of parallel geometric figures, such as lines or planes.

(obsolete) Share; allotment.

One that closely resembles or is analogous to another

(programming) An internal identifier used by a debugger to relate parts of the compiled program to the corresponding names in the source code.

A comparison indicating likeness; an analogy.

(telecommunications) A signalling event on a communications channel; a signal that cannot be further divided into meaningful information.

The condition of being parallel; near similarity or exact agreement in particulars; parallelism.

To symbolize.

Any of the imaginary lines representing degrees of latitude that encircle the earth parallel to the plane of the equator.

A visible sign or representation of an idea; anything which suggests an idea or quality, or another thing, as by resemblance or by convention; an emblem; a representation; a type; a figure; as, the lion is the symbol of courage; the lamb is the symbol of meekness or patience.

(Printing) A sign indicating material referred to in a note or reference.

Any character used to represent a quantity, an operation, a relation, or an abbreviation.

(Electronics) An arrangement of components in a circuit that splits the current into two or more paths. Used chiefly in the phrase in parallel.

An abstract or compendium of faith or doctrine; a creed, or a summary of the articles of religion.

To make or place parallel to something else

That which is thrown into a common fund; hence, an appointed or accustomed duty.

To be or extend parallel to

Share; allotment.

To be similar or analogous to

An abbreviation standing for the name of an element and consisting of the initial letter of the Latin or New Latin name, or sometimes of the initial letter with a following one; as, C for carbon, Na for sodium (Natrium), Fe for iron (Ferrum), Sn for tin (Stannum), Sb for antimony (Stibium), etc. See the list of names and symbols under Element.

To be or provide an equal for; match.

To symbolize.

To show to be analogous; compare or liken

An arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance

Equally distant from one another at all points.

Something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible;

Having the same overall direction; the comparison is indicated with "to".

Either not intersecting, or coinciding.

(computing) Involving the processing of multiple tasks at the same time.

With a parallel relationship.

One of a set of parallel lines.

Direction conformable to that of another line.

A line of latitude.

An arrangement of electrical components such that a current flows along two or more paths; see in parallel.

Something identical or similar in essential respects.

A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity.

(military) One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.

(printing) A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines, used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page.

To construct or place something parallel to something else.

Of a path etc: To be parallel to something else.

Of a process etc: To be analogous to something else.

To compare or liken something to something else.

To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, etc.

To equal; to match; to correspond to.

To produce or adduce as a parallel.

Extended in the same direction, and in all parts equally distant; as, parallel lines; parallel planes.

Having the same direction or tendency; running side by side; being in accordance (with); tending to the same result; - used with to and with.

Continuing a resemblance through many particulars; applicable in all essential parts; like; similar; as, a parallel case; a parallel passage.

A line which, throughout its whole extent, is equidistant from another line; a parallel line, a parallel plane, etc.

Direction conformable to that of another line,

Conformity continued through many particulars or in all essential points; resemblance; similarity.

A comparison made; elaborate tracing of similarity; as, Johnson's parallel between Dryden and Pope.

Anything equal to, or resembling, another in all essential particulars; a counterpart.

One of the imaginary circles on the surface of the earth, parallel to the equator, marking the latitude; also, the corresponding line on a globe or map; as, the counry was divided into North and South at the 38th parallel.

One of a series of long trenches constructed before a besieged fortress, by the besieging force, as a cover for troops supporting the attacking batteries. They are roughly parallel to the line of outer defenses of the fortress.

A character consisting of two parallel vertical lines (thus, ) used in the text to direct attention to a similarly marked note in the margin or at the foot of a page.

That arrangement of an electrical system in which all positive poles, electrodes, terminals, etc., are joined to one conductor, and all negative poles, etc., to another conductor; - called also multiple. Opposed to series.

To place or set so as to be parallel; to place so as to be parallel to, or to conform in direction with, something else.

Fig.: To make to conform to something else in character, motive, aim, or the like.

To equal; to match; to correspond to.

To produce or adduce as a parallel.

To be parallel; to correspond; to be like.

Something having the property of being analogous to something else

An imaginary line around the Earth parallel to the equator

Be parallel to;

Make or place parallel to something;

Duplicate or match;

Being everywhere equidistant and not intersecting;

Of or relating to the simultaneous performance of multiple operations;