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

• semantician noun
• semanticist noun

Etymology

Origin of semantics

First recorded in 1895–1900; semantic, -ics

Example Sentences

But the distinction feels like a retreat into semantics — or what Orwell might refer to as “doublespeak.”

From Salon

"Ordinary people don't care about the semantics, they want to see punishment, and public opinion is very much against Andrew, the Palace knows that, and the language very much reflect that".

From BBC

Actually, the concept of the Packers’ streak being anything more than the three-peat they have always been credited for is semantics, fan talk ... a little bit of apples and oranges.

From Los Angeles Times

Ryan Mac: But on the semantics, Twitter does not exist anymore.

From Los Angeles Times

But asked why his solo record wasn’t a Toto album — Paich and Williams are both all over it — he says, “Don’t want to deal with fighting people over semantics.”

From Los Angeles Times