WordGarden.iosemantic
C1Pronunciation
UK
- /səmˈæntɪk/
US
- /sɪˈmæntɪk/
Meanings
Adjective
relating to meaning in language, symbols, or logic
concerned with wording or meaning rather than practical substance
Beyond the definition
Imagine you're trying to understand what someone really means when they say something, not just the words they used. That is where "semantic" comes in. It is about meaning in language: how words, signs, or symbols carry ideas, and how people understand those ideas through context.
You might hear about a "semantic error" when a computer reads the form of something correctly but gets the meaning wrong. A linguist might study "semantic change," which is the way a word's meaning shifts over time. In everyday use, if something is called semantic, the focus is usually on meaning rather than grammar, sound, or structure.
"Semantic" relates to semantics, the branch of linguistics that deals with meaning. But it goes beyond simple dictionary definitions. It covers how we understand words, phrases, signs, and whole texts by looking at context, intended sense, and shared knowledge.
Think about the word "bright." It can mean shining (a bright light), intelligent (a bright student), or cheerful (a bright mood or personality). Understanding which meaning is intended requires semantic analysis: looking at how the word is used and what surrounds it.
The term "semantic" appears in many fields beyond linguistics. In computer science, the semantic web refers to structuring data so computers can work with meaning, not just match keywords. In psychology, semantic memory is your store of general knowledge about the world: facts, ideas, and concepts you have learned over time.
You might also encounter "semantic satiation," which happens when you repeat a word so many times that it briefly seems to lose its meaning. You may also hear someone dismiss a disagreement as "merely semantic," meaning the people involved may agree on the facts but differ in the words or definitions they are using. In general, when the focus is on meaning, interpretation, and how language connects to ideas, the topic is semantic.
Examples
- 1
Word meanings
There is a subtle semantic difference between "house" and "home."
- 2
Disagreement
Their disagreement was mostly semantic, not practical.
- Phrasemostly semantic
about the meaning of words, not about a real difference
- 3
Search technology
The app uses semantic search to find related ideas, not just exact keywords.
- Domainsemantic search
search based on meaning
- 4
Web design
In web design, semantic HTML makes the structure of a page clearer to browsers and screen readers.
- Domainsemantic HTML
HTML that uses tags for their meaning and purpose
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Word relationships
The model is good at capturing semantic relationships between words.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- semanticadjective