semantic

semantic — adjective

1. concerning what words mean and how those meanings connect with each other in a l

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

concerning what words mean and how those meanings connect with each other in a language.

Example

In her linguistics paper, Ayana explored the semantic differences between "anger" and "rage."

collocation: semantic difference(s)

The semantic meaning of "I'm fine" can change with the speaker's tone of voice.

Common collocations
  • semantic difference
  • semantic meaning
  • semantic field
  • semantic change
  • semantic relationship
  • semantic range
  • semantic shift
  • semantic match
Synonyms
  • meaning-related

    more informal; useful for explaining the concept to beginners

  • lexical

    more specific — refers to the vocabulary of a language rather than to meaning in general

  • linguistic

    broader in scope — covers grammar, sound, and structure as well as meaning

Antonyms
  • syntactic

    relating to sentence structure rather than meaning

  • pragmatic

    relating to how context influences meaning in real communication

Usage Note

Typically used before a noun (attributive position), especially in academic writing about language. It can also follow the verb 'be' in predicative position: 'The difference is semantic, not grammatical.'

Common Mistakes

There is a semantic error in the sentence structure.
There is a grammatical error in the sentence structure.
'semantic' relates to meaning, not to sentence structure or grammar rules.
The pragmatic meaning of the word changed over time.' (when referring to word meaning)
The semantic meaning of the word changed over time.
'pragmatic' concerns how context affects meaning in use; 'semantic' concerns the word's core meaning.

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • semantically