Polysemantic - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Polysemantic refers to a word or phrase that has multiple related meanings. For example, 'bank' can mean the side of a river or a financial institution, depending on context.
Definition:
Having multiple meanings or interpretations.
Synonyms:
ambiguous, multivocal, polysemic, equivocal
Part of Speech:
adjective
Antonyms:
unambiguous, monosemantic
Common Collocations:
polysemantic word, polysemantic nature, polysemantic interpretation
Derivatives:
polysemantically, polysemanticity
Usage Tips:
Use "polysemantic" to describe words or texts open to multiple interpretations; clarify context to avoid confusion.
Common Phrases:
"polysemantic puzzle, " "polysemantic expression, " "polysemantic language"
Etymology:
Derived from Greek "poly-" (many) and "semantikos" (significant), meaning having many meanings.
Examples:
- 1. The word "bank" is polysemantic, referring to a financial institution or a river's edge.
- 2. Her poem was deliberately polysemantic, inviting readers to interpret it in various ways.
- 3. Polysemantic terms like "light" can confuse language learners without proper context.
- 4. The politician's speech was polysemantic, leaving room for multiple interpretations by the audience.