noun
- The semantic relationship in which one word is a more specific instance of another; the quality of being a hyponym.
Usage: linguistics; formal
Examples
- The hyponymy between 'poodle' and 'dog' shows that a poodle is a type of dog.
- In linguistics, hyponymy describes how specific words relate to more general categories.
- The relationship of hyponymy allows us to organize vocabulary into hierarchies.
- 'Red' has a hyponymy relationship with 'color' because red is a specific color.
- Understanding hyponymy helps students recognize how words fit into broader semantic categories.