Origin: Greek prefix para-
Paradigm has 5 different meanings across 1 category:
systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word
"The linguist analyzed the noun's paradigm to ensure every case and number form was correctly conjugated."
the class of all items that can be substituted into the same position (or slot) in a grammatical sentence (are in paradigmatic relation with one another)
"In linguistics, the word "cat" belongs to the noun paradigm because it can replace any other singular noun in that specific syntactic slot."
the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time
"he framed the problem within the psychoanalytic paradigm"
A pattern, a way of doing something, especially (now often derogatory) a pattern of thought, a system of beliefs, a conceptual framework.
"The company decided to shift its entire business paradigm from selling products to offering subscription services."
In plain English: A paradigm is a standard model or way of thinking that people generally accept as correct for solving problems.
"The new software update represents a paradigm shift in how we handle data security."
Usage: Use paradigm to describe an established model or approach that guides thinking and action in a specific field. It is commonly paired with shifts like "paradigm shift" when referring to fundamental changes in how people understand something.
The word "paradigm" comes from the Ancient Greek parádeigma, meaning "pattern." It originally referred to something shown for comparison or as an example.