symbol vs icon

symbol and icon both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
symbol	Yes	No	No	No
icon	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, icon is a hyponym of symbol; that is, icon is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than symbol:

symbol: an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
icon: (computer science) a graphic symbol (usually a simple picture) that denotes a program or a command or a data file or a concept in a graphical user interface

Other hyponyms of symbol include stock symbol, accolade, award, honor, honour, laurels, brand, mark, stain, stigma, item, token, type, nose, number, numeral, symbolism, lingam, pound, pound sign, printed symbol, written symbol, dollar, dollar mark, dollar sign, monogram, impression, stamp, mantle, Crown, staff, mark, marker, marking, identifier, variable, button, peace sign, peace symbol.

symbol (noun)	icon (noun)
something visible that by association or convention represents something else that is invisible	a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface
an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance	a conventional religious painting in oil on a small wooden panel; venerated in the Eastern Church
	(computer science) a graphic symbol (usually a simple picture) that denotes a program or a command or a data file or a concept in a graphical user interface

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