In such writing systems as the Chinese writing system, the portion of a phono-semantic character that provides an indication of its meaning; contrasted with phonetic.
"In analyzing the complex structure of traditional Chinese characters, scholars distinguish between the radical component that serves as the semantic indicator and the other part that functions as a phonetic clue."
"The semantic value of that ancient symbol remains unclear to historians today."
Of or relating to semantics or the meanings of words.
"The semantic difference between the two terms became clear once we analyzed how each word is used in context."
In plain English: Semantic means having to do with the specific meanings of words and how they relate to each other.
"The semantic difference between those two words can change how people understand the instruction."
Usage: Use "semantic" when describing how word choices affect meaning in communication rather than referring to physical objects or sounds. This adjective is best applied to contexts like ambiguous phrasing, semantic shifts over time, or differences between synonyms that carry distinct connotations.
The word semantic comes from the Ancient Greek σημαντικός, which originally meant "significant." It traveled into English through French before entering common use in linguistics and logic.