In programming, what does the symbol '=' signify?

The symbol '=' in programming is known as the assignment operator. Its primary function is to assign a value to a variable. When you see an expression like x = 5, it means that the variable x is being assigned the value of 5. This is a fundamental concept in programming, allowing developers to store, manipulate, and retrieve data throughout their code.

While other options might contain terms that are part of programming syntax, they do not accurately represent the function of the '=' symbol. A comparison operator, for instance, is typically used to compare two values, like '==' in many programming languages, which checks for equality. Keywords are reserved words that have special meaning in programming languages, such as 'if' or 'while'. Separators for statements can include things like semicolons or line breaks, but '=' does not serve that purpose. Thus, the assignment operator is the most appropriate description of this symbol in the context of programming.