semantic

adjective

se·​man·​tic si-ˈman-tik 

variants or less commonly semantical

si-ˈman-ti-kəl 

1

: of or relating to meaning in language

the process of semantic development

In real estate, there's more than a semantic difference between a dead end and a cul-de-sac.

—Sue Corbett

The semantic debate over their very job title speaks to the apparent discomfort some landlords are feeling about their business model—housing as a commodity.

—Bridget Read

2

: of or relating to semantics

semantically

si-ˈman-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Examples of semantic in a Sentence

the process of semantic development

Recent Examples on the Web

That is where semantic data models come into play. —Norbert Jung, Fortune, 17 Dec. 2025

This semantic squishiness is a result of The Game Awards' outsourced voting process, which polls over 150 international media outlets (including NPR) to determine a list of nominees. —James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 12 Dec. 2025

One study found that older women who ate more eggs per week had a lower decline in semantic memory (long-term memory of general knowledge) and executive function over four years. —Emily Brown, Verywell Health, 10 Nov. 2025

Intelligent Search: Retrieve insight from more than a century of reporting through advanced semantic and hybrid search. —Mark Howard, Time, 10 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Greek sēmantikós "(of sounds) conveying meaning, significant, (of a circumstance) indicative," from sēmantós, verbal adjective of sēmaínein "to indicate, point out, signify, make a signal, give a sign, (in middle voice) mark, identify" (verbal derivative from the base of sēmat-, sêma "distinguishing mark, sign, token, signal, omen, tomb" and sēmeîon "marking, sign, token, signal") + -ikos -ic entry 1; sēm- in sêma and sēmeîon of uncertain origin

Note: The base sēm-, Doric sām- has been compared with Sanskrit dhyāma "thought" (attested only in lexica) and dhyā́yati "s/he thinks, contemplates." Greek sêma would then be the outcome of Indo-European *d^hi̯eh₂-mn̥-. The meanings "sign" and "thought" are too far apart, however, to support such an etymology. The derivative sēmeîon is peculiar in that -mat- is a suffix and would not ordinarily be split apart in order to add another suffix. A comparable formation is mnêma "reminder, record, memorial" and the near-synonymous mnēmeîon, though in this case the ulterior etymology is clear.

First Known Use

1890, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for semantic

• atlantic
• gigantic
• pedantic
• romantic
• vedantic
• antic
• frantic
• transatlantic
• unromantic

Kids Definition

semantic

adjective

se·​man·​tic si-ˈmant-ik 

1

: of or relating to meaning in language

2

: of or relating to semantics

semantically

-ˈmant-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb