signification vs symbolism

signification

noun
  • The act of signifying, or something that is signified; significance. 

  • A meaning of a word. 

  • Evidence for the existence of something. 

symbolism

noun
  • Representation of a concept through symbols or underlying meanings of objects or qualities. 

How often have the words signification and symbolism occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )