- a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another.
- a symbolical narrative: the allegory of Piers Plowman.
- emblem (def. 3).
- a poem, play, picture, etc, in which the apparent meaning of the characters and events is used to symbolize a deeper moral or spiritual meaning
- the technique or genre that this represents
- use of such symbolism to illustrate truth or a moral
- anything used as a symbol or emblem
