Толковый словарь английского языка - symbolism

noun Date: 1654 the art or practice of using symbols especially by investing things with a symbolic meaning or by expressing the invisible or intangible by means of visible or sensuous representations: as, artistic imitation or invention that is a method of revealing or suggesting immaterial, ideal, or otherwise intangible truth or states, the use of conventional or traditional signs in the representation of divine beings and spirits, a system of symbols or representations