C1adjectiveformallanguageacademic
US/sɪˈmæn.tɪk/
UK/sɪˈmæn.tɪk/
connected with the meaning of words and sentences
In context
There is a small semantic difference between "big" and "large".
Children first build semantic networks of related words.
The argument is only semantic: both sides agree on the facts.
Words that go with semantic
adjective + noun
- semantic differenceThe semantic difference is hard to explain to beginners.
- semantic meaningContext changes the semantic meaning of a phrase.
- semantic changeSemantic change explains why "nice" once meant "foolish".
- semantic field"Kitchen" and "cook" belong to the same semantic field.
- semantic memorySemantic memory stores facts and word meanings.
adverb + adjective
- purely semanticTheir disagreement is purely semantic.