designatum
9.9
A thing a word refers to, real or imagined
- noun
- /dɪˈzaɪɡnətəm/
- Specialized
:
designatum
- The designatum of the word 'unicorn' does not exist in the real world.
Examples
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Philosophers debate whether a fictional character can have a genuine designatum.
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In semantics, the designatum may refer to something purely hypothetical.
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A designatum can be anything.
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The designatum is important!
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In semantics, the designatum may refer to something purely hypothetical.
-
Philosophers debate whether a fictional character can have a genuine designatum.
-
The designatum of the word 'unicorn' does not exist in the real world.
Synonyms
156
5.5
The thing a word or phrase points to
refers only to the thing named, not to the link between word and meaning
9.9
A real thing in the world that a word refers to
includes both real and imagined entities rather than only real ones
Surface Forms
designatum singular
designata plural
Etymology
The word designatum comes from the Latin verb designare, which means 'to point out' or 'to mark'. It is like the English word designate, so a designatum is the thing a word 'points to' or 'names'.