semiotic
semi.o.tic also semi.o.ti.cal \.sem-e--'a:t-ik, .sem-.i--, -'o-t-\ \-iks\
\-i-k*l\ \s*-.mi--*-'tish-*n\ n or semi.o.tics [Gk se-meio-tikos observant
of signs, fr. se-meiousthai to] pl but sing or pl in constr interpret
signs, fr. se-meion sign; akin to Gk se-ma sign - more at SEMANTIC : a
general philosophical theory of signs and symbols that deals esp. with
their function in both artificially constructed and natural languages and
comprises syntactics, semantics, and pragmatics - semi.o.ti.c aj