Origin: Latin suffix -ance
Significance has 4 different meanings across 1 category:
the quality of being significant
"do not underestimate the significance of nuclear power"
a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
"the significance of his remark became clear only later"
"the expectation was spread both by word and by implication"
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
"what is the meaning of this sentence"
"the significance of a red traffic light"
"the signification of Chinese characters"
"the import of his announcement was ambiguous"
The extent to which something matters; importance
"The discovery had great significance because it changed how we understand climate change."
In plain English: Significance means how important something is and why it matters to you.
"The significance of his discovery changed how we understand physics today."
Usage: Use significance when referring to the inherent meaning or impact of an event, rather than its mere presence. It is often confused with synonym signification, but that word specifically denotes the act of indicating a particular thing.
The word significance comes from the Latin significantia, which meant "the quality of being meaningful." It traveled into English through Middle French and Middle English before becoming a standard term in modern usage.