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Symbol Sourcebook: An Authoritative Guide to International Graphic Symbols
"A ready reference aid and an inspiration to designers . All in all the best book now available on symbols." --Library Journal This unparalleled reference represents a major achievement in the field of graphic design. Famed industrial designer Henry Dreyfuss recognized the importance of symbols in communicating more quickly and effectively; for many years he and his staff collected and codified graphic symbols as they are used in all walks of life throughout the world. The result is this "dictionary" of universally used graphic symbols. Henry Dreyfuss designed this sourcebook to be as practical and easy to use as possible by arranging the symbol information within ingeniously devised sections: Basic Symbols represents a concise and highly selective grouping of symbols common to all disciplines (on-off, up-down, etc.). Disciplines provides symbols used in accommodations and travel, agriculture, architecture, business, communications, engineering, photography, sports, safety, traffic controls, and many other areas. Color lists the meanings of each of the colors in various worldwide applications and cultures. Graphic Form displays symbols from all disciplines grouped according to form (squares, circles, arrows, human figures, etc.) creating a unique way to identify a symbol out of context, as well as giving designers a frame of reference for developing new symbols. To make the sourcebook truly universal, the Table of Contents contains translations of each of the section titles and discipline areas into 17 languages in addition to English.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
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About the author
Henry Dreyfuss
18 books10 followersHenry Dreyfuss (March 2, 1904 – October 5, 1972) was an American industrial designer.
Dreyfuss was a native in Brooklyn, New York. As one of the celebrity industrial designers of the 1930s and 1940s, Dreyfuss dramatically improved the look, feel, and usability of dozens of consumer products. As opposed to Raymond Loewy and other contemporaries, Dreyfuss was not a stylist: he applied common sense and a scientific approach to design problems. His work both popularized the field for public consumption, and made significant contributions to the underlying fields of ergonomics, anthropometrics, and human factors.
Until 1920 Dreyfuss studied as an apprentice to theatrical designer Norman Bel Geddes, his later competitor, and opened his own office in 1929 for theatrical and industrial design activities. It was an immediate and long-lasting commercial success. As of 2005 his firm continues to operate as Henry Dreyfuss Associates with major corporate clients.
Dreyfuss was a native in Brooklyn, New York. As one of the celebrity industrial designers of the 1930s and 1940s, Dreyfuss dramatically improved the look, feel, and usability of dozens of consumer products. As opposed to Raymond Loewy and other contemporaries, Dreyfuss was not a stylist: he applied common sense and a scientific approach to design problems. His work both popularized the field for public consumption, and made significant contributions to the underlying fields of ergonomics, anthropometrics, and human factors.
Until 1920 Dreyfuss studied as an apprentice to theatrical designer Norman Bel Geddes, his later competitor, and opened his own office in 1929 for theatrical and industrial design activities. It was an immediate and long-lasting commercial success. As of 2005 his firm continues to operate as Henry Dreyfuss Associates with major corporate clients.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
December 8, 2012
Book that inspired Basquiat.
May 1, 2012
As a designer I've found people are very wary of symbols. They're skeptical of the ability of pictographs to communicate, and think that words or an absence of potentially confusing symbols is a better alternative. This sourcebook shows that we've been using symbols in many industries for a long time - and it's not out of a need to make interfaces or information pretty, but out of recognising the importance and value of symbols as language. Symbols can be faster to identify, can communicate complex concepts with a few line strokes and reduce errors.
Henry Dreyfuss' sourcebook is now 28 years old and some of these symbols aren't used much any more but it's still interesting to "read" the symbols and see how they were designed either as individual symbols or as part of a set ... such as wind direction & speed indicators and electronic circuitry symbols. It is true that many of these symbols make no sense unless you're told what they signify such as morse code but once you know what they represent they can enable fast and effective communication.
This book is mostly symbols, grouped and categorised by various means. There are a few small snippets of information explaining the background to symbols such as the Peace symbol but it is primarily a reference book.
I found it very inspirational and will find it useful as a tool to help me use symbols more in the software interfaces I design.
Henry Dreyfuss' sourcebook is now 28 years old and some of these symbols aren't used much any more but it's still interesting to "read" the symbols and see how they were designed either as individual symbols or as part of a set ... such as wind direction & speed indicators and electronic circuitry symbols. It is true that many of these symbols make no sense unless you're told what they signify such as morse code but once you know what they represent they can enable fast and effective communication.
This book is mostly symbols, grouped and categorised by various means. There are a few small snippets of information explaining the background to symbols such as the Peace symbol but it is primarily a reference book.
I found it very inspirational and will find it useful as a tool to help me use symbols more in the software interfaces I design.
January 5, 2026
Incredible. Google’s material.io is an extrapolation of this work, which I’m somewhat familiar with because of a few collaborative projects at work in which I’ve need to exercise what little graphic design chops I have. This book was to help expand my base of graphic language in case I need to continue doing UI design.
March 27, 2017
Awesome, highly recommended book summing up symbols used across the world, color symbology, designed to be as universal in use as possible. (Though obviously, by its very nature, one book could never hope to achieve all of these goals.) This is the best book of its type. It's out of print and hard to find, but very worth it!
June 6, 2012
This is an amazing resource for designers, symbologists, communicators, technologists, and fine artists. A great starting point for developing graphic ideas, as well as researching visual communication methodologies. Highly recommended.
January 5, 2026
24/30
I'm not a symbol guy I guess...
Henry Dreyfuss’s Symbol Sourcebook is a small but remarkably powerful reference guide that demonstrates how simple symbols can communicate complex meaning instantly. The book is built on one core idea: well-designed symbols remove the need for language, explanation, or instruction. When done right, they are universal, intuitive, and efficient.
Rather than theorizing, Dreyfuss focuses on use. The book collects hundreds of symbols drawn from transportation, industry, public signage, safety systems, consumer products, and interfaces. Each symbol is shown clearly, stripped of decoration, and presented as a practical tool. You quickly see how repetition, consistency, and visual logic make symbols legible across cultures and contexts.
What makes Symbol Sourcebook exceptional is its human-centered mindset. Dreyfuss was obsessed with usability, and that obsession runs through every page. Symbols are judged not by cleverness but by whether they reduce friction, prevent mistakes, and guide behavior without demanding attention. The book quietly teaches that good design respects the user’s time and cognitive load.
Its simplicity is its greatest strength. You don’t need to “interpret” the book: you can open it, find a symbol, and apply the logic immediately. For designers, copywriters, and anyone working with information systems, it sharpens visual thinking and reinforces the value of clarity over flair.
Ultimately, Symbol Sourcebook feels less like a design book and more like a toolbox for modern life. It proves that the most effective communication is often the most understated, and that well-made symbols are among the most elegant achievements of design.
I'm not a symbol guy I guess...
Henry Dreyfuss’s Symbol Sourcebook is a small but remarkably powerful reference guide that demonstrates how simple symbols can communicate complex meaning instantly. The book is built on one core idea: well-designed symbols remove the need for language, explanation, or instruction. When done right, they are universal, intuitive, and efficient.
Rather than theorizing, Dreyfuss focuses on use. The book collects hundreds of symbols drawn from transportation, industry, public signage, safety systems, consumer products, and interfaces. Each symbol is shown clearly, stripped of decoration, and presented as a practical tool. You quickly see how repetition, consistency, and visual logic make symbols legible across cultures and contexts.
What makes Symbol Sourcebook exceptional is its human-centered mindset. Dreyfuss was obsessed with usability, and that obsession runs through every page. Symbols are judged not by cleverness but by whether they reduce friction, prevent mistakes, and guide behavior without demanding attention. The book quietly teaches that good design respects the user’s time and cognitive load.
Its simplicity is its greatest strength. You don’t need to “interpret” the book: you can open it, find a symbol, and apply the logic immediately. For designers, copywriters, and anyone working with information systems, it sharpens visual thinking and reinforces the value of clarity over flair.
Ultimately, Symbol Sourcebook feels less like a design book and more like a toolbox for modern life. It proves that the most effective communication is often the most understated, and that well-made symbols are among the most elegant achievements of design.
August 16, 2024
Can't say this was an exciting read as the book is more of a reference manual.. as stated by the author. I wanted to review this guide as I was certainly unaware of how many symbols are out there. I do wonder if the vast majority of these symbols are even used in today's world. Most appear to be little used codes that might be added to a document's legend vs accepted as a common symbol. Several of the author's sidenotes were very interesting. For example, how did the $ symbol come about to mean US currency? He also described past use of the swasticka (apart from the obvious Nazi use). Thought the insights he provided were very informative.
January 11, 2021
This is a useful reference on existing symbols as well as an introduction to the theory behind making them!
March 5, 2021
a great source for all kinds symbols. visual language is global!
October 24, 2024
advanced.
November 7, 2024
The book that Jean-Michel Basquiat studied thoroughly and used as a reliable reference.
October 19, 2025
Fantastic review of all the symbols in the 70s. Fascinating seeing how a same symbol can mean so many different things!
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews