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polysemy
[ puh-lis-uh-mee, pol-ee-see-mee ]
/ pəˈlɪs ə mi, ˈpɒl iˌsi mi /
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noun
a condition in which a single word, phrase, or concept has more than one meaning or connotation.
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On the farm, the feed for chicks is significantly different from the roosters’; ______ not even comparable.
Origin of polysemy
OTHER WORDS FROM polysemy
pol·y·se·mous, adjectiveWords nearby polysemy
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
British Dictionary definitions for polysemy
polysemy
/ (ˌpɒlɪˈsiːmɪ, pəˈlɪsəmɪ) /
noun
the existence of several meanings in a single wordCompare monosemy
Derived forms of polysemy
polysemous, adjectiveWord Origin for polysemy
C20: from New Latin polysēmia, from Greek polusēmos having many meanings, from poly- + sēma a sign
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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