Word
semantics
Meanings
the study of meaning in language, including how words and sentences convey meaning
the precise meaning of a word or statement, especially in an argument or discussion
Definition
Semantics is the study of meaning in language.
Semantics is a branch of linguistics that focuses on what words, phrases, and sentences mean. It looks at how meaning is created and understood in context. People often mention semantics when they want to clarify the exact meaning of a term or expression.
Examples
- In semantics, the same word can have different meanings in different contexts.
- We argued for ten minutes, but it was mostly about semantics.
- Her paper on semantics compared how children learn word meanings.
- The semantics of the contract clause were unclear to both sides.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes use semantics to mean “grammar,” but semantics is about meaning, not sentence structure.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More nouns
- fascism Fascism is an extreme right-wing political system with a powerful dictator, strong nationalism, and…
- gaslighting Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation that makes someone doubt their own memory, judg…
- narcissist A narcissist is someone who is excessively self-centered and craves admiration while showing little…
- empathy Empathy is the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings.
- metaphor A metaphor is a way of describing something by saying it is something else to create a clear image …