semantic

[ si-man-tik ]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or arising from the different meanings of words or other symbols:

   semantic change; semantic confusion.

2. of or relating to semantics.

semantic

/ sɪˈmæntɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to meaning or arising from distinctions between the meanings of different words or symbols
2. of or relating to semantics
3. logic concerned with the interpretation of a formal theory, as when truth tables are given as an account of the sentential connectives

Derived Forms

• seˈmantically, adverb

Other Words From

• se·man·ti·cal·ly adverb
• non·se·man·tic adjective
• pseu·do·se·man·tic adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of semantic¹

First recorded in 1655–65; from Greek sēmantikós “having meaning,” equivalent to sēmant(ós) “marked” ( sēman-, base of sēmaínein “to show, mark” + -tos verbal adjective suffix; akin to sêma “sign”) + -ikos -ic

Word History and Origins

Origin of semantic¹

C19: from Greek sēmantikos having significance, from sēmainein to signify, from sēma a sign

Example Sentences

Our data indicate that they’re using how content is structured and semantic analysis to figure out what should appear as a featured snippet.

From Search Engine Watch

Christi Olson, Head of Evangelism at Microsoft, noted “semantic intent,” that it all “goes back to intent” she said.

From Search Engine Land

In our interview with Microsoft’s Christi Olson and Fabrice Canal, on Live with Search Engine Land about What SEOs need to know about Bing Webmaster Guidelines, we spoke about how Bing ranks content and the importance of semantic and searcher intent.

From Search Engine Land

Low semantic density is a telltale sign that a patient might be at risk of psychosis.

From MIT Technology Review

I noticed a little semantic difference back in April when parents were in the throes of “online learning.”

From Voice of San Diego

Howard Kurtz on the semantic dodge that now lets them get away with it.

From The Daily Beast

But as I wrote last week, you cannot use semantic games to do an end run around an enumerated constitutional right.

From The Daily Beast

Except for one thing: you can't do an end-run around an enumerated right with some sort of semantic game.

From The Daily Beast

But is that kind of semantic argument going to persuade large numbers of swing voters to turn on Obama?

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps semantic, but Newt quickly apologized to Ryan anyway.

From The Daily Beast

Note that text format (bold or italic) has semantic meaning in this volume.

From Project Gutenberg

"Setting up those semantic reaction tests you gave him," Fern said.

From Project Gutenberg

Oldsters, in whom the term "atomic energy" produced semantic reactions associated with Hiroshima.

From Project Gutenberg

That's what gives the Kragans an entirely different semantic orientation.

From Project Gutenberg

In some languages vocalic changes, in others consonantal, have grammatical or semantic meaning.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• linguistic