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Glite Dictionary
hypernymy

hypernymy

9.9
A general word that includes more specific words like car and bicycle
  • noun
  • /ˈhaɪpərˌnɪmi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hiperonomía
  • The hypernymy relation links the category 'vehicle' to specific types like 'car' and 'bicycle'.

Examples

  • Examples of hypernymy include the relationship between 'animal' as a general term and 'dog' or 'cat' as specific instances.

  • Understanding hypernymy can help students expand their vocabulary more efficiently.

  • In lexical databases, hypernymy is used to organize terms by generalization.

  • The concept of hypernymy is fascinating.

  • Can you explain hypernymy?

  • In linguistic studies, hypernymy describes how broader terms encompass more specific words.

  • The idea of hypernymy helps in understanding how words are categorized into general and specific classes.

Synonyms

superordination
vshypernymy
  • Specialized
9.9

A relation where one thing belongs to a higher class than another

has identical meaning but is the standard term for that semantic relation

How General

hypernymy
  • Specialized
9.9
hyponymy
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

hypernymy singular
hypernymies plural

Morphology

hypernymy = hypernym (semi-transparent) = hyper + nym + y

The word is a regular abstract-noun formation from the technical base 'hypernym', but the terminology is specialized and not readily inferable for average learners.

Etymology

Hypernymy comes from the Greek parts hyper- meaning 'over' and -onym meaning 'name', the same root you see in synonym. So, a hypernym is like an 'over-name' — a general word that includes more specific words, which is why hypernymy describes that relationship.