schema

noun

sche·​ma ˈskē-mə 

plural schemata ˈskē-mə-tə  also schemas

1

: a diagrammatic presentation

broadly : a structured framework or plan : outline

2

: a mental codification of experience that includes a particular organized way of perceiving cognitively and responding to a complex situation or set of stimuli

Examples of schema in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That entity layer is Wikipedia, Wikidata, schema markup on the executive's own pages, and structured references from authoritative outlets. — Ronn Torossian, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

In the decades since, more recent variants have adapted this schema for other settings. — Peter C. Baker, New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2026

In this way, baseball is explicitly following other sports, which were earlier to invest in state-of-the-art multifactor sound systems, huge screens, and sophisticated lighting schemas. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Greek schēmat-, schēma

First Known Use

circa 1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for schema

• cima
• pima
• prima
• rima
• sema
• sima
• thema
• edema
• extrema
• ulema
• emphysema
• empyema

Medical Definition

schema

noun

sche·​ma ˈskē-mə 

plural schemata -mət-ə  also schemas

1

: a nonconscious adjustment of the brain to the afferent impulses indicative of bodily posture that is a prerequisite of appropriate bodily movement and of spatial perception

2

: the organization of experience in the mind or brain that includes a particular organized way of perceiving cognitively and responding to a complex situation or set of stimuli