semantics

American  

[si-man-tiks] / sɪˈmæn tɪks /

noun

(used with a singular verb)

1. Linguistics.

   1. the study of meaning.

   2. the study of linguistic development by classifying and examining changes in meaning and form.

2. Also called significs.  the branch of semiotics dealing with the relations between signs and what they denote.

3. the meaning, or an interpretation of the meaning, of a word, sign, sentence, etc..

   Let's not argue about semantics.

4. general semantics.

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semantics British  

/ sɪˈmæntɪks /

noun

1. the branch of linguistics that deals with the study of meaning, changes in meaning, and the principles that govern the relationship between sentences or words and their meanings

2. the study of the relationships between signs and symbols and what they represent

3. logic

   1. the study of interpretations of a formal theory

   2. the study of the relationship between the structure of a theory and its subject matter

   3. (of a formal theory) the principles that determine the truth or falsehood of sentences within the theory, and the references of its terms

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semantics Cultural  

1. The scientific or philosophical study of the relations of words and their meanings.

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Discover More

Semantics is commonly used to refer to a trivial point or distinction that revolves around mere words rather than significant issues: “To argue whether the medication killed the patient or contributed to her death is to argue over semantics.”

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• semantician
  noun
• semanticist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of semantics

First recorded in 1895–1900; see origin at semantic, -ics

Explanation

Semantics is the study of meaning in language. It can be applied to entire texts or to single words. For example, "destination" and "last stop" technically mean the same thing, but students of semantics analyze their subtle shades of meaning. To correctly pronounce semantics — which is a singular noun even though it ends in s — accent the second syllable: "suh-MAN-ticks." In the late 1800s, Michel Bréal coined the term sémantique to describe the psychology of language. That French word has its origins in Greek: semantikos means "significant," and comes from semainein "to show, signify, indicate by a sign." Semantics investigates the meaning of language.

Example Sentences

Semantics are more important than they may seem; it’s not just about quibbling over language.

From Salon • May 8, 2026

Semantics alone are unlikely to dictate the pace at which fossil fuels are replaced with cleaner energy sources.

From New York Times • Mar. 19, 2022

Semantics aside, BoJack would be the first to tell you he’s pretty terrible.

From Washington Post • Aug. 13, 2021

Semantics aside, these two teams will likely be Pac-12 North contenders again in 2021.

From Seattle Times • Mar. 3, 2021

He wondered how much Gladys Fleming knew about the principles of General Semantics.

From Murder in the Gunroom by Piper, H. Beam