Headword (Noun)
Meaning 1
A content word that can be qualified by a modifier.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The headword in the phrase 'a great composer' is 'composer' as it is the noun being described by the modifier 'great'.
- Her headword position title was 'president' though her actual duties varied widely from organization to organization.
- The modifier 'very cold' qualifies the headword 'water' in the phrase 'the very cold water.'
- Headwords are essential content words to which other words serve as either qualifiers or supplements.
- In modern phrasing the modifier often comes after the headword, especially in the case of adjective order rules or in more complex clause constructions.
Synonyms
Hypernyms
Meaning 2
A word placed at the beginning of a line or paragraph (as in a dictionary entry).
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- Each definition began with its respective headword followed by parts of speech and then the explanation.
- The dictionary editor cross-checked every headword to ensure its perfect representation of the word's multiple meanings.
- The page displayed a section of dictionary entries arranged alphabetically by headword, including derivatives and inflections.
- In the dictionary, the headword for the entry was frequently reused in example sentences to illustrate proper usage.
- Before writing her own dictionary, she studied how other lexicographers formatted the information listed beneath each headword.