Synonymy: meaning, definitions and examples

linguistics term

Synonymy refers to the phenomenon where different words or phrases have the same or similar meanings. In linguistics, it's crucial for understanding the richness of a language and how meanings can change or be nuanced by the choice of words. Synonymy allows for variety in expression and can contribute to the subtleties of meaning in communication. It also plays an essential role in the fields of thesaurus compilation and language teaching, as it helps learners expand their vocabulary.

equivalence, parity, similarity

Examples of usage

• The words 'big' and 'large' are examples of synonymy.

• Understanding synonymy can improve your writing skills.

• Teachers often explain synonymy to help students with vocabulary.

• The concept of synonymy is central to semantic studies.