semantic

American  

[si-man-tik] / sɪˈmæn tɪk /

Sometimes semantical

adjective

1. of, relating to, or arising from the different meanings of words or other symbols.

   semantic change; semantic confusion.

2. of or relating to semantics.

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semantic British  

/ sɪˈmæntɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to meaning or arising from distinctions between the meanings of different words or symbols

2. of or relating to semantics

3. logic concerned with the interpretation of a formal theory, as when truth tables are given as an account of the sentential connectives

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Other Word Forms

• nonsemantic adjective
• pseudosemantic adjective
• semantically adverb

Etymology

Origin of semantic

First recorded in 1655–65; from Greek sēmantikós “having meaning,” equivalent to sēmant(ós) “marked” ( sēman-, base of sēmaínein “to show, mark” + -tos verbal adjective suffix; akin to sêma “sign”) + -ikos -ic

Explanation

If something is semantic, it has to do with the meaning of a word. If you're spending all this time reading the dictionary, you must be interested in semantic questions — or you just want better grades on your vocabulary quizzes. Semantic comes from the Greek word for "significant," and has to do with how, say, the word dog actually means that furry friend of yours, and all the others like him. If you're really into the philosophy of language and how words come to have particular meanings, then you like semantics. It can be an adjective, as in a semantic argument with your mom over the meaning of "grounded," or a noun, meaning "the study of signs and meaning."

Example Sentences

In November, it refocused Chase’s division from “retail” to “lifestyle” — a semantic change that reflects a shifting focus.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 3, 2026

To evoke the fractured psyche of the characters, Morrison’s narratives are highly disjointed, switching among different points of view and time periods with only the slimmest semantic clues offered for orientation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

In the semantic task, they recalled brand details based on prior knowledge.

From Science Daily • Feb. 3, 2026

But the distinction between task repricing—when technology can take over all or part of a task—and job destruction isn’t semantic, it is economic.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

Examples include the rules that govern punctuation, complex forms of agreement, and fine semantic distinctions between uncommon words like militate and mitigate and credible and credulous.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker

Related Words

• linguistic