empty signifier

[ emp-tee sig-nuh-fahy-er ]

noun

, Semiotics.

1. a word or phrase used in such a way that it does not have a fixed, specific meaning, allowing it to refer to different, often contradictory things depending on who is using it and in what context:

   The term “freedom” can be an empty signifier in politics, with different groups using it as justification for opposing goals.

Word History and Origins

Origin of empty signifier¹

First recorded in 1970–75