Synonymy (Noun)
Meaning
The semantic relation that holds between two words that can (in a given context) express the same meaning.
Classification
Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas.
Examples
- The words "big" and "large" exhibit synonymy in many contexts, allowing them to be used interchangeably in sentences.
- Linguists study synonymy to understand how different words can convey the same meaning in a language.
- The synonymy between "happy" and "joyful" is evident in their use in phrases like "I'm happy to see you" and "I'm joyful to see you".
- The complexity of synonymy is demonstrated by the fact that words can have different connotations or shades of meaning despite being synonyms.
- The existence of synonymy in a language allows speakers to choose from a range of words to express the same idea, adding nuance and variety to their communication.