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; 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

Stew, who received a refund, said he wasn't sure regulation was the answer, but he was sympathetic to the idea that the debate seemed to be stumbling around semantics.

From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026

Traders who lost money were upset by the emphasis on the semantics of the rules.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 2, 2026

Dr. David Wolk, a neurologist and director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Disease Research Center, says the debate comes down to semantics: having a disease versus being at risk of it.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

In court documents, Long’s attorney argue that the question of who killed Cedar the goat is more than just semantics.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 19, 2024

The rule is a product of the usual three confusions: English with Latin, informal style with incorrect grammar, and syntax with semantics.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker