Hyponym

Definition

A hyponym is a more specific term under a general one — ROSE is a hyponym of FLOWER, which is its hypernym. Hyponymy organises vocabulary into meaning hierarchies.

Why it matters

Hierarchical thinking expands the candidates you can brainstorm and deepens semantic understanding.

Examples

• SPARROW is a hyponym of BIRD.
• OAK is a hyponym of TREE.

Best practices

• Brainstorm hyponyms when sweeping a semantic field.
• Map words into general-to-specific hierarchies.

Frequently asked