componential analysis

noun Linguistics.

the analysis of a set of related linguistic items, especially word meanings, into combinations of features in terms of which each item may be compared with every other, as in the analysis of man into the semantic features “male,” “mature,” and “human,” woman into “female,” “mature,” and “human,” girl into “female,” “immature,” and “human,” and bull into “male,” “mature,” and “bovine.”

Nearby words

complot, comply, compo, component, component of complement, componential analysis, componentry, compony, componé, comport, comportance

Origin of componential analysis

First recorded in 1945–50