Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
polyseme
noun
/ˈpɑː.lɪ.siːm/
Definition
A word with multiple meanings that are related by extension.
Examples
- The word ‘bank’ is a polyseme because it can refer to the side of a river or a financial institution.
- In linguistics, ‘head’ is a polyseme as it can mean the top part of a body or the leader of a group.
- When considering the term ‘book’, it serves as a polyseme by indicating both the physical object and the act of reserving something.
Meaning
Polyseme refers to a single word that has several meanings that are connected by a common theme or concept.
Synonyms
- ambiguous word
- multi-meaning word
- polysemous term
