# Dream Meanings People have looked for meaning in their dreams for thousands of years, and dream books in many cultures record the same recurring symbols. This dictionary collects 215 of the most common dream symbols, each with its traditional folklore interpretation, the variations people report most often, and the themes usually linked to it. These readings are folklore and entertainment, not professional advice. Browse the A to Z index below to find your dream. ## A to Z index of dream symbols [A](#letter-a) [B](#letter-b) [C](#letter-c) [D](#letter-d) [E](#letter-e) [F](#letter-f) [G](#letter-g) [H](#letter-h) [I](#letter-i) [J](#letter-j) [K](#letter-k) [L](#letter-l) [M](#letter-m) [O](#letter-o) [P](#letter-p) [R](#letter-r) [S](#letter-s) [T](#letter-t) [V](#letter-v) [W](#letter-w) [Z](#letter-z) ## A - [**Airplane**ambition](/dream-meaning-airplane/) - [**Aliens**the unfamiliar](/dream-meaning-aliens/) - [**Angels**guidance](/dream-meaning-angels/) - [**Ants**diligence](/dream-meaning-ants/) - [**Apples**knowledge](/dream-meaning-apples/) - [**Attic**memory](/dream-meaning-attic/) ## B - [**Baby**new beginnings](/dream-meaning-baby/) - [**Basement**the subconscious](/dream-meaning-basement/) - [**Bath**self-care](/dream-meaning-bath/) - [**Bathroom**cleansing](/dream-meaning-bathroom/) - [**Bats**intuition](/dream-meaning-bat/) - [**Beach**relaxation](/dream-meaning-beach/) - [**Bear**strength](/dream-meaning-bear/) - [**Bedroom**intimacy](/dream-meaning-bedroom/) - [**Bees**hard work](/dream-meaning-bees/) - [**Being Chased**avoidance](/dream-meaning-being-chased/) - [**Being Late**missed opportunities](/dream-meaning-being-late/) - [**Being Lost**direction](/dream-meaning-being-lost/) - [**Being Naked in Public**vulnerability](/dream-meaning-naked-in-public/) - [**Bicycle**balance](/dream-meaning-bicycle/) - [**Birds**freedom](/dream-meaning-birds/) - [**Birthday**new cycles](/dream-meaning-birthday/) - [**Blood**vitality](/dream-meaning-blood/) - [**Boat**journey](/dream-meaning-boat/) - [**Books**knowledge](/dream-meaning-books/) - [**Boss**authority](/dream-meaning-boss/) - [**Bread**sustenance](/dream-meaning-bread/) - [**Bridge**transition](/dream-meaning-bridge/) - [**Bus**community](/dream-meaning-bus/) - [**Butterfly**transformation](/dream-meaning-butterfly/) ## C - [**Camera**memory](/dream-meaning-camera/) - [**Car**ambition](/dream-meaning-car/) - [**Car Accident**loss of control](/dream-meaning-car-accident/) - [**Cats**independence](/dream-meaning-cats/) - [**Cave**inner self](/dream-meaning-cave/) - [**Cheating**insecurity](/dream-meaning-cheating/) - [**Children**innocence](/dream-meaning-children/) - [**Chocolate**indulgence](/dream-meaning-chocolate/) - [**Church**faith](/dream-meaning-church/) - [**Climbing**striving](/dream-meaning-climbing/) - [**Clothes**identity](/dream-meaning-clothes/) - [**Clouds**thoughts](/dream-meaning-clouds/) - [**Cockroaches**neglect](/dream-meaning-cockroaches/) - [**Coffee**energy](/dream-meaning-coffee/) - [**Computer**the mind](/dream-meaning-computer/) - [**Cooking**creativity](/dream-meaning-cooking/) - [**Courtroom**judgment](/dream-meaning-courtroom/) - [**Coworkers**collaboration](/dream-meaning-coworkers/) - [**Crossroads**decisions](/dream-meaning-crossroads/) - [**Crows and Ravens**mystery](/dream-meaning-crow/) - [**Crying**emotional release](/dream-meaning-crying/) ## D - [**Dancing**joy](/dream-meaning-dancing/) - [**Darkness**the unknown](/dream-meaning-darkness/) - [**Death**endings](/dream-meaning-death/) - [**Debt**obligation](/dream-meaning-debt/) - [**Demons**inner struggle](/dream-meaning-demons/) - [**Desert**loneliness](/dream-meaning-desert/) - [**Diamonds**enduring value](/dream-meaning-diamonds/) - [**Divorce**separation](/dream-meaning-divorce/) - [**Dogs**loyalty](/dream-meaning-dogs/) - [**Dolphin**joy](/dream-meaning-dolphin/) - [**Door**opportunity](/dream-meaning-door/) - [**Dragon**power](/dream-meaning-dragon/) - [**Drowning**overwhelm](/dream-meaning-drowning/) ## E - [**Eagle**vision](/dream-meaning-eagle/) - [**Earthquake**upheaval](/dream-meaning-earthquake/) - [**Eggs**potential](/dream-meaning-eggs/) - [**Elephant**memory](/dream-meaning-elephant/) - [**Elevator**rapid change](/dream-meaning-elevator/) - [**Engagement**commitment](/dream-meaning-engagement/) - [**Ex-Partner**unfinished business](/dream-meaning-ex-partner/) ## F - [**Falling**insecurity](/dream-meaning-falling/) - [**Falling Off a Cliff**risk](/dream-meaning-falling-off-cliff/) - [**Family**belonging](/dream-meaning-family/) - [**Father**authority](/dream-meaning-father/) - [**Fighting**conflict](/dream-meaning-fighting/) - [**Fire**passion](/dream-meaning-fire/) - [**Fish**unconscious insights](/dream-meaning-fish/) - [**Floating**letting go](/dream-meaning-floating/) - [**Flood**overwhelm](/dream-meaning-flood/) - [**Flowers**beauty](/dream-meaning-flowers/) - [**Flying**freedom](/dream-meaning-flying/) - [**Fog**confusion](/dream-meaning-fog/) - [**Food and Eating**nourishment](/dream-meaning-food/) - [**Forest**the unknown](/dream-meaning-forest/) - [**Fountain**abundance](/dream-meaning-fountain/) - [**Friends**friendship](/dream-meaning-friends/) - [**Frog**transformation](/dream-meaning-frog/) - [**Fruit**abundance](/dream-meaning-fruit/) - [**Funeral**closure](/dream-meaning-funeral/) ## G - [**Gambling**risk](/dream-meaning-gambling/) - [**Garden**growth](/dream-meaning-garden/) - [**Getting Fired**fear of failure](/dream-meaning-fired/) - [**Ghosts**the past](/dream-meaning-ghosts/) - [**Gifts**talents](/dream-meaning-gifts/) - [**Gold**value](/dream-meaning-gold/) - [**Graduation**achievement](/dream-meaning-graduation/) - [**Grandmother**wisdom](/dream-meaning-grandmother/) - [**Graveyard**the past](/dream-meaning-graveyard/) - [**Gun**power](/dream-meaning-gun/) ## H - [**Hammer**building](/dream-meaning-hammer/) - [**Hat**roles](/dream-meaning-hat/) - [**Hiding**avoidance](/dream-meaning-hiding/) - [**Horse**power](/dream-meaning-horse/) - [**Hospital**healing](/dream-meaning-hospital/) - [**Hotel**transition](/dream-meaning-hotel/) - [**House**the self](/dream-meaning-house/) ## I - [**Ice**fragility](/dream-meaning-ice/) - [**Island**isolation](/dream-meaning-island/) ## J - [**Jewelry**self-worth](/dream-meaning-jewelry/) - [**Job Interview**evaluation](/dream-meaning-job-interview/) ## K - [**Keys**solutions](/dream-meaning-keys/) - [**Kissing**affection](/dream-meaning-kissing/) - [**Kitchen**nourishment](/dream-meaning-kitchen/) - [**Knife**decisiveness](/dream-meaning-knife/) ## L - [**Ladder**ascent](/dream-meaning-ladder/) - [**Lake**tranquility](/dream-meaning-lake/) - [**Laughing**joy](/dream-meaning-laughing/) - [**Letters and Mail**messages](/dream-meaning-letters/) - [**Library**wisdom](/dream-meaning-library/) - [**Light**clarity](/dream-meaning-light/) - [**Lion**courage](/dream-meaning-lion/) - [**Locked In and Locked Out**exclusion](/dream-meaning-locked/) - [**Losing Hair**aging](/dream-meaning-losing-hair/) - [**Losing Things**loss](/dream-meaning-losing-things/) - [**Lost Wallet**identity](/dream-meaning-lost-wallet/) ## M - [**Map**guidance](/dream-meaning-map/) - [**Maze**confusion](/dream-meaning-maze/) - [**Milk**nurturing](/dream-meaning-milk/) - [**Mirror**self-reflection](/dream-meaning-mirror/) - [**Money**self-worth](/dream-meaning-money/) - [**Monkey**playfulness](/dream-meaning-monkey/) - [**Monsters**fear](/dream-meaning-monsters/) - [**Moon**intuition](/dream-meaning-moon/) - [**Mother**nurturing](/dream-meaning-mother/) - [**Mountain**challenge](/dream-meaning-mountain/) - [**Moving House**transition](/dream-meaning-moving-house/) - [**Mud**feeling stuck](/dream-meaning-mud/) - [**Murder**endings](/dream-meaning-murder/) - [**Music**harmony](/dream-meaning-music/) ## O - [**Ocean**emotions](/dream-meaning-ocean/) - [**Owl**wisdom](/dream-meaning-owl/) ## P - [**Packing and Luggage**preparation](/dream-meaning-packing/) - [**Party**celebration](/dream-meaning-party/) - [**Pen and Writing**expression](/dream-meaning-pen/) - [**Phone**communication](/dream-meaning-phone/) - [**Police**authority](/dream-meaning-police/) - [**Pregnancy**creativity](/dream-meaning-pregnancy/) - [**Prison**confinement](/dream-meaning-prison/) ## R - [**Rain**cleansing](/dream-meaning-rain/) - [**Rainbow**hope](/dream-meaning-rainbow/) - [**Rats and Mice**neglected problems](/dream-meaning-rats/) - [**Restaurant**nourishment](/dream-meaning-restaurant/) - [**Ring**commitment](/dream-meaning-ring/) - [**River**flow of life](/dream-meaning-river/) - [**Road**life path](/dream-meaning-road/) - [**Robots**routine](/dream-meaning-robots/) - [**Roof**protection](/dream-meaning-roof/) - [**Rope**connection](/dream-meaning-rope/) - [**Roses**love](/dream-meaning-roses/) - [**Running**freedom](/dream-meaning-running/) ## S - [**Sand**time](/dream-meaning-sand/) - [**School and Exams**performance anxiety](/dream-meaning-school-exams/) - [**Scissors**cutting ties](/dream-meaning-scissors/) - [**Screaming**feeling unheard](/dream-meaning-screaming/) - [**Sex**union](/dream-meaning-sex/) - [**Shark**threat](/dream-meaning-shark/) - [**Shoes**life path](/dream-meaning-shoes/) - [**Shower**cleansing](/dream-meaning-shower/) - [**Silver**intuition](/dream-meaning-silver/) - [**Singing**self-expression](/dream-meaning-singing/) - [**Sleep Paralysis**feeling stuck](/dream-meaning-paralysis/) - [**Snakes**hidden threats](/dream-meaning-snakes/) - [**Snow**purity](/dream-meaning-snow/) - [**Spiders**feeling trapped](/dream-meaning-spiders/) - [**Stairs**progress](/dream-meaning-stairs/) - [**Stars**hope](/dream-meaning-stars/) - [**Stealing**deprivation](/dream-meaning-stealing/) - [**Store and Shopping**choices](/dream-meaning-store/) - [**Storm**conflict](/dream-meaning-storm/) - [**Sun**vitality](/dream-meaning-sun/) - [**Swimming**emotional navigation](/dream-meaning-swimming/) - [**Swimming Pool**contained emotions](/dream-meaning-swimming-pool/) - [**Sword**honor](/dream-meaning-sword/) ## T - [**Teeth**anxiety](/dream-meaning-teeth/) - [**Thunder and Lightning**revelation](/dream-meaning-thunder-lightning/) - [**Tiger**power](/dream-meaning-tiger/) - [**Toilet**release](/dream-meaning-toilet/) - [**Tornado**chaos](/dream-meaning-tornado/) - [**Traffic**frustration](/dream-meaning-traffic/) - [**Train**life path](/dream-meaning-train/) - [**Treasure**hidden worth](/dream-meaning-treasure/) - [**Tree**growth](/dream-meaning-tree/) - [**Tsunami**overwhelm](/dream-meaning-tsunami/) - [**Turtle**patience](/dream-meaning-turtle/) ## V - [**Vacation**rest](/dream-meaning-vacation/) - [**Vampires**energy drain](/dream-meaning-vampires/) - [**Volcano**repressed anger](/dream-meaning-volcano/) ## W - [**Walking**life journey](/dream-meaning-walking/) - [**Wall**obstacles](/dream-meaning-wall/) - [**War**conflict](/dream-meaning-war/) - [**Watch and Clock**time pressure](/dream-meaning-watch/) - [**Waterfall**emotional release](/dream-meaning-waterfall/) - [**Wedding**commitment](/dream-meaning-wedding/) - [**Well**inner resources](/dream-meaning-well/) - [**Whale**emotional depth](/dream-meaning-whale/) - [**Wind**change](/dream-meaning-wind/) - [**Window**perspective](/dream-meaning-window/) - [**Wine**celebration](/dream-meaning-wine/) - [**Winning the Lottery**wish fulfillment](/dream-meaning-lottery/) - [**Witches**power](/dream-meaning-witches/) - [**Wolf**instinct](/dream-meaning-wolf/) - [**Work and Office**pressure](/dream-meaning-work/) - [**Worms**humility](/dream-meaning-worms/) ## Z - [**Zombies**burnout](/dream-meaning-zombies/) ## Frequently asked questions ### Where do these dream meanings come from? They come from dream folklore: the interpretations recorded in traditional dream books across many cultures over centuries. They are shared cultural stories about what dreams might symbolize, not scientific findings. ### Can dreams predict the future? Traditional dream folklore sometimes treats vivid dreams as omens, but these are old cultural beliefs, not reliable predictions. Most dream books read symbols as reflections of current feelings and situations. ### Why do I keep dreaming about the same thing? Folklore often reads recurring dreams as an unresolved thought or feeling returning for attention. Many traditions suggest looking at what is happening in your life when the repeated dream shows up. ### What was that falling sensation right before I woke up? That sudden jolt is widely reported, and folklore usually reads it as the mind's alarm bell during light sleep. It is one of the most common dream experiences in the world.