Semantic
As an Adjective
- Related to meaning in language, words, or symbols (e.g., semantic differences between words).
- Connected to the interpretation of meaning in a broader sense (e.g., semantic analysis in AI).
As a Noun (Less Common, Usually in Linguistics & AI)
- Semantics (Plural Form) – The study of meaning in language, symbols, and logic.
Word History
The word semantic comes from the Greek sēmantikos, meaning “significant” or “having meaning,” derived from sēmainein (“to signify” or “to show”). It became widely used in linguistics, philosophy, and computing to describe how meaning is structured and understood.
Examples
- The semantic meaning of “cool” changes depending on context.
- AI uses semantic analysis to understand human language.
- Their argument was just a semantic debate over wording.
- In web development, semantic HTML tags help define content clearly.
Synonyms
Meaning-related, interpretive, linguistic, contextual, symbolic
Related Words
Semantics, syntax, lexicon, connotation, definition
Antonyms
Literal, nonsensical, meaningless, vague