Sign vs. Plaque — What's the Difference?

A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or medical symptoms a sign of disease.

An ornamental tablet, typically of metal, porcelain, or wood, that is fixed to a wall or other surface in commemoration of a person or event.

An object, quality, or event whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else

A sticky deposit on teeth in which bacteria proliferate

A gesture or action used to convey information or an instruction

A small, distinct, typically raised patch or region on or within the body resulting from local damage or deposition of material, such as a fatty deposit on an artery wall in atherosclerosis or a site of localized damage of brain tissue in Alzheimer's disease.

A notice on public display that gives information or instructions in a written or symbolic form

A flat counter used in gambling.

Each of the twelve equal sections into which the zodiac is divided, named from the constellations formerly situated in each, and associated with successive periods of the year according to the position of the sun on the ecliptic

A flat plate, slab, or disk that is ornamented or engraved for mounting, as on a wall for decoration or on a monument for information.

The positiveness or negativeness of a quantity

A small pin or brooch worn as an ornament or a badge of membership.

Write one's name on (a letter, card, document, etc.) to identify oneself as the writer or sender

A scaly patch on a body part, especially the skin.

Use gestures to convey information or instructions

A biofilm of bacteria in a matrix of polysaccharides and other substances on the surface of a tooth or teeth.

Indicate with signposts or other markers

A deposit of fatty material on the inner lining of an arterial wall, characteristic of atherosclerosis.

Mark or consecrate with the sign of the cross

The material that such a deposit is composed of.

Something that suggests the presence or existence of a fact, condition, or quality

A deposit consisting mainly of beta-amyloid and degenerating nerve tissue, found in the brain tissue of people with Alzheimer's disease.

An act or gesture used to convey an idea, a desire, information, or a command

A sharply defined zone of demyelination in the central nervous system characteristic of multiple sclerosis.

Sign language.

A clear, often round patch of lysed cells in an otherwise opaque layer of a bacteria or cell culture.

A displayed structure bearing lettering or symbols, used to identify or advertise a place of business

(countable) Any flat, thin piece of clay, ivory, metal, etc., used for ornament, or for painting pictures upon, as a dish, plate, slab, etc., hung upon a wall; also, a smaller decoration worn by a person, such as a brooch.

A posted notice bearing a designation, direction, or command

(countable) A piece of flat metal with writing on it, attached to a building, monument, or other structure to remind people of a person or an event.

A conventional figure or device that stands for a word, phrase, or operation; a symbol, as in mathematics or in musical notation.

(countable) A small card representing an amount of money, used for betting in casinos; a sort of gaming chip.

Pl. sign An indicator, such as a dropping or footprint, of the trail of an animal

A clearing in a bacterial lawn caused by a virus.

A trace or vestige

In the Hornbostel–Sachs classification system: any flat, thin musical instrument.

A portentous incident or event; a presage

A broad patch of abnormal tissue distinguishable from surrounding tissue, especially a broad irritated]] patch on the skin.

(Medicine) An objective finding, usually detected on physical examination, from a laboratory test, or on an x-ray, that indicates the presence of abnormality or disease.

An abnormal accumulation of material in or on an organ of the body, often associated with disease.

One of the 12 divisions of the zodiac, each named for a constellation and represented by a symbol.

An accumulation in artery walls made up of macrophage cells and debris containing lipids, (cholesterol and fatty acids), calcium, and connective tissue; an atheroma.

To affix one's signature to

An accumulation of biofilm, or bacteria, on teeth, which may develop into dental calculus (tartar).

To write (one's signature)

A deposit of beta-amyloid protein occurring in a nerve cell and associated with Alzheimer's disease.

To approve or ratify (a document) by affixing a signature, seal, or other mark

Any flat, thin piece of metal, clay, ivory, or the like, used for ornament, or for painting pictures upon, as a slab, plate, dish, or the like, hung upon a wall; also, a smaller decoration worn on the person, as a brooch.

To hire or engage by obtaining a signature on a contract

(pathology) a small abnormal patch on or inside the body

To relinquish or transfer title to by signature

A memorial made of brass

To provide with a sign or signs

To communicate with a sign or signs

To express (a word or thought, for example) in a sign language

To consecrate with the sign of the cross.

To make a sign or signs; signal.

To communicate in a sign language.

To write one's signature.

A perceptible (e.g. visible) indication.

Physical evidence left by an animal.

A clearly visible object, generally flat, bearing a short message in words or pictures.

A wonder; miracle; prodigy.

(astrology) An astrological sign.

(mathematics) Positive or negative polarity, as denoted by the + or - sign.

A specific gesture or motion used to communicate by those with speaking or hearing difficulties; now specifically, a linguistic unit in sign language equivalent to word in spoken languages.

(uncountable) Sign language in general.

A semantic unit, something that conveys meaning or information (e.g. a word of written language); a unit consisting of a signifier and a signified concept. sign (semiotics)]].

An omen.

(medicine) A property of the body that indicates a disease and, unlike a symptom, can be detected objectively by someone other than the patient.

A military emblem carried on a banner or standard.

To make a mark

To seal (a document etc.) with an identifying seal or symbol.

(transitive) To mark, to put or leave a mark on.

(transitive) To validate or ratify (a document) by writing one's signature on it.

(transitive) More generally, to write one's signature on (something) as a means of identification etc.

To write (one's name) as a signature.

(intransitive) To write one's signature.

(intransitive) To finalise a contractual agreement to work for a given sports team, record label etc.

(transitive) To engage (a sports player, musician etc.) in a contract.

To make the sign of the cross

(transitive) To bless (someone or something) with the sign of the cross; to mark with the sign of the cross.

(reflexive) To cross oneself.

To indicate

(intransitive) To communicate using a gesture or signal.

(transitive) To communicate or make known (a meaning, intention, etc.) by a sign.

(transitive) To communicate using gestures to (someone).

(intransitive) To use sign language.

(transitive) To furnish (a road etc.) with signs.

To determine the sign of

(transitive) To calculate or derive whether a quantity has a positive or negative sign.

That by which anything is made known or represented; that which furnishes evidence; a mark; a token; an indication; a proof.

Something serving to indicate the existence, or preserve the memory, of a thing; a token; a memorial; a monument.

Any symbol or emblem which prefigures, typifles, or represents, an idea; a type; hence, sometimes, a picture.

A word or a character regarded as the outward manifestation of thought; as, words are the sign of ideas.

Hence, one of the gestures of pantomime, or of a language of a signs such as those used by the North American Indians, or those used by the deaf and dumb.

A military emblem carried on a banner or a standard.

The twelfth part of the ecliptic or zodiac.

A character indicating the relation of quantities, or an operation performed upon them; as, the sign + (plus); the sign - (minus); the sign of division ÷, and the like.

Any character, as a flat, sharp, dot, etc.

To represent by a sign; to make known in a typical or emblematic manner, in distinction from speech; to signify.

To make a sign upon; to mark with a sign.

To affix a signature to; to ratify by hand or seal; to subscribe in one's own handwriting.

To assign or convey formally; - used with away.

To mark; to make distinguishable.

To be a sign or omen.

To make a sign or signal; to communicate directions or intelligence by signs.

To write one's name, esp. as a token of assent, responsibility, or obligation.

A perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened);

A public display of a (usually written) message;

Any communication that encodes a message;

Structure displaying a board on which advertisements can be posted;

(astrology) one of 12 equal areas into which the zodiac is divided

(medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease;

Having an indicated pole (as the distinction between positive and negative electric charges);

An event that is experienced as indicating important things to come;

A gesture that is part of a sign language

A fundamental linguistic unit linking a signifier to that which is signified;

A character indicating a relation between quantities;

Mark with one's signature; write one's name (on);

Approve and express assent, responsibility, or obligation;

Be engaged by a written agreement;

Engage by written agreement;

Communicate silently and non-verbally by signals or signs;

Place signs, as along a road;

Communicate in sign language;

Make the sign of the cross over someone in order to call on God for protection; consecrate

Used of the language of the deaf