Meaning & use
bull symbolism
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Meanings
noununcountable
The use of a bull as a symbol, representing strength, fertility, power, or (in finance) a rising market.
Grammar: Uncountable and usually used with 'the': 'the bull symbolism in the painting'.
Patterns
- the bull symbolism of something
- bull symbolism in art
- bull symbolism represents something
In many ancient cultures, bull symbolism stood for fertility and raw power.
The film uses bull symbolism to suggest the hero's stubborn courage.
On Wall Street, bull symbolism is everywhere when prices are climbing.
nouncountable
A particular meaning attached to a bull in a religion, myth, or artwork.
Grammar: Countable when referring to one specific symbolic meaning: 'a bull symbolism of rebirth'.
Patterns
- a bull symbolism of something
- the bull symbolism associated with something
The Minoans developed a bull symbolism linked to the sea and the moon.
Scholars still debate the bull symbolism of the cave paintings.
Common combinations
- bull symbolism in art
- The lecture traced bull symbolism in art from Crete to modern advertising.
- the bull symbolism of the statue
- The bull symbolism of the statue is meant to convey national strength.
- use bull symbolism
- Advertisers often use bull symbolism to sell energy drinks.
Synonyms and how they differ
- bull imagery
- Bull imagery refers to pictures or descriptions of bulls; bull symbolism focuses on the meanings those images carry.
Word family
Commonly confused: bull symbolism or bullish?
bull symbolism vs bullish
Bullish is an adjective meaning optimistic about prices; bull symbolism is the noun phrase for the symbolic use of a bull.
Practice
In the myth, the bull ___ the power of the storm god.
Choose one answer.
A verb is needed here, so 'symbolizes' is correct. 'Symbolism' is a noun and cannot follow 'the bull' as the main verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bull symbolism”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.