the study of language meaning
"The linguist dedicated her career to the study of semantics, analyzing how words convey precise meanings within different contexts."
A branch of linguistics studying the meaning of words.
"The professor's lecture on semantics focused entirely on how different languages encode the same concepts through distinct word choices."
In plain English: Semantics is the study of how words and symbols convey meaning.
"They spent hours arguing over semantics instead of discussing what they really wanted to solve."
Usage: Semantics refers specifically to how language conveys meaning, distinct from syntax which deals with sentence structure or phonetics regarding sound. Use this term when discussing why certain word choices create different interpretations rather than focusing on grammatical rules alone.
The word comes from the French term sémantique, which replaced an older related field called semasiology. It ultimately traces back to the Ancient Greek sēmantikós, meaning "significant" or "meaningful."