- 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
- the study of the relationships between signs and symbols and what they represent
- (of a formal theory) the principles that determine the truth or falsehood of sentences within the theory, and the references of its terms
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
se•man•tics /sɪˈmæntɪks/USA pronunciation
n.
se•man•ti•cist /sɪˈmæntəsɪst/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Linguistics[uncountable; used with a singular verb] a branch of linguistics dealing with the study of meaning, the ways meaning is structured in language, and changes in meaning and form over time.
- Linguisticsthe meaning, or an interpretation of the meaning, of a word, sign, etc.: [uncountable; used with a singular verb]Let's not argue about semantics.[plural* used with a plural verb]The semantics of those terms are confusing.
se•man•ti•cist /sɪˈmæntəsɪst/USA pronunciation n. [countable]
se•man•tics
(si man′tiks),USA pronunciation n. (used with a sing. v.)
se•man•ti•cist
(si man′tə sist),USA pronunciation se•man•ti•cian
(sē′man tish′ən),USA pronunciation n.
- Linguistics
- the study of meaning.
- the study of linguistic development by classifying and examining changes in meaning and form.
- Philosophy, Linguistics, LinguisticsAlso called significs. the branch of semiotics dealing with the relations between signs and what they denote.
- Linguisticsthe meaning, or an interpretation of the meaning, of a word, sign, sentence, etc.:Let's not argue about semantics.
- LinguisticsSee general semantics.
- 1895–1900; see semantic, -ics
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
semantics /sɪˈmæntɪks/ n (functioning as singular)
'semantics' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Frege
- grammar
- Korzybski
- philosophy
- phonology
- semantic
- semasiology
- semiotics
- barrow
- general semantics
- generative semantics
- linguistics
- notional
- presentive
- significs
- symbolic