semantic

adjective

se·​man·​tic si-ˈman-tik How to pronounce semantic (audio)
variants or less commonly semantical
1
: of or relating to meaning in language
2
: of or relating to semantics
semantically adverb

Examples of semantic in a Sentence

the process of semantic development
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But what’s a little semantic difference between friends? Sara Netzley, EW.com, 24 Apr. 2025 In the use of real language, there is an increasingly large space of parallel branching syntactic, i.e. symbol, decisions that can occur that can only be resolved and decided by semantic understanding. Gabriel A. Silva, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025 Naming rights benefit from semantic fluency when the name of the place becomes synonymous with the team and the game. Kirk Wakefield, Forbes.com, 8 Apr. 2025 The semantic layer maps business-level definitions, key performance indicators (KPIs) and organizational corporate jargon to data fields. Artyom Keydunov, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for semantic

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 *dhi̯eh2-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

Time Traveler
The first known use of semantic was in 1890

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Cite this Entry

“Semantic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/semantic. Accessed 9 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

semantic

adjective
se·​man·​tic si-ˈmant-ik How to pronounce semantic (audio)
1
: of or relating to meaning in language
2
: of or relating to semantics
semantically adverb

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