adjective

semantic

si-MAN-tik

Semantic (adjective) means relating to meaning in language, or to the meaning of words and sentences rather than their form. Example: “The two translations differ in tone but there is no semantic difference between them.”

adjective

Relating to meaning in language, or to the meaning of words and sentences rather than their form.

"The two translations differ in tone but there is no semantic difference between them."

"Semantic change explains how 'nice' came to mean pleasant."

Concerning a distinction of wording that has no real effect on substance; used to dismiss an argument as being about words alone.

"Call it a rebate or a refund, the difference is purely semantic."

"We are arguing over semantics, not over policy."

computing In computing, describing markup or data whose tags convey what the content means rather than how it should look.

"Use semantic HTML so screen readers can follow the page structure."

"The semantic web depends on machine-readable relationships between data."

How to Use Semantic

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo do with what words actually mean.

When to use it

Technical in linguistics and computing; the dismissive 'just semantics' use is everyday and mildly argumentative.

Memory tip

The noun semantics takes a singular verb when it means the field of study: semantics is a branch of linguistics.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

syntactic pedantic → semiotic

Common pairings

semantic difference semantic field purely semantic semantic HTML semantic satiation

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The two translations differ in tone but there is no _____ difference between them.

Etymology

From Greek sēmantikos 'significant, having meaning', from sēmainein 'to signify', from sēma 'sign'.

Origin: Greek

Synonyms

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meaning-related connotative lexical verbal terminological nitpicking

Related Words

spoken oral implied verbal lexicon

Rhymes for semantic

antic frantic pedantic gigantic Atlantic romantic unromantic transatlantic

See all rhymes for semantic →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between semantic and syntactic?

Semantics is about meaning; syntax is about structure and word order. 'Colourless green ideas sleep furiously' is syntactically fine but semantically nonsense, while 'sleep ideas furiously green colourless' fails on syntax first.

What does it mean when someone says 'that's just semantics'?

They are claiming the disagreement is only about which words to use and not about anything real. It is often a fair point and often a dodge, since word choice can quietly change what is being claimed.

What is semantic HTML?

HTML that uses tags describing the role of the content, such as header, nav, article and footer, instead of generic div elements styled to look right. It improves accessibility for screen readers, helps search engines understand the page, and makes the code easier to maintain.

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