This paper presents a new framework for the symbolic representation of data which is referred to as signatures. The definitions of signatures and of signature trees are first given. Original operators on signatures are next presented, i.e., contraction, extension, pruning, addition, multiplication, and grafting. Attractive applications of signatures related to the modelling of fuzzy inference systems are suggested and discussed. An example is included to accompany the theoretical results. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.