Semantics

Definition

Semantics examines how words and sentences convey meaning, including relationships like synonymy, antonymy, and hyponymy. Semantic thinking organises vocabulary by meaning rather than form.

Why it matters

Approaching words semantically broadens the candidates you can recall and dramatically improves vocabulary retention.

Examples

• BIG and LARGE are near-synonyms (semantic relation).
• A ROBIN is a hyponym of BIRD.

Best practices

• Group words by meaning into semantic fields.
• Map relationships between new and known words.

Frequently asked