Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

meronym

noun

/ˈmɛrəˌnɪm/

Definition

A term that signifies a part of something, typically used in linguistics to refer to words that denote a part-whole relationship.

Examples

The term ‘finger’ is a meronym of the word ‘hand.’
‘Leaf’ is a meronym of ‘tree.’
In language studies, understanding meronyms helps in analyzing how parts relate to wholes.

Meaning

Meronym refers to a word that refers to a part of something, which can help clarify the relationships between objects or concepts. For instance, ‘wheel’ is a meronym of ‘car’ because a wheel is a part of a car.