Portuguese EN 9th grade: Meaning of Words
Semantic Relations and Lexical Meaning
Lexical meaning refers to the meaning of words in the language. Words can establish different semantic relations, that is, relationships of meaning between them.
Some important relations are:
Sinonímia – words with similar meanings.
Ex.: pássaro = ave.
Antonímia – words with opposite meanings.
Ex.: alto / baixo.
Hiperonímia – a word with a more general meaning that includes others.
Ex.: pássaro (hiperónimo) → andorinha, parda
Hiponímia – a word with a more specific meaning within a group.
Ex.: andorinha, pardalm rouxinol (hipónimos).
Holonímia – occurs when a word represents the whole in relation to its parts. This word is called a holonym.
Ex.: carro → volante, motor, rodas
casa → porta, janela, telhado
Here, carro and casa are the holónimos (the whole).
Meronímia – occurs when a word represents a part of a whole. This word is called a meronym.
volante → part of a car
janela → part of a house
The relationship of a word (sinónimo, antónimo, hipónimo, hiperónimo, holónimo ou merónimo) depends on the word with which it is compared.
legume (hiperónimo ) / alface (hipónimo)
carro / automóvel - (sinónimos)
automóvel (holónimo) / volante (merónimo)
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