noun
- a word that names a part or component of something; a term that denotes a constituent element of a larger whole.
Usage: linguistics, semantics; the opposite of holonym
Examples
- In linguistics, 'finger' is a meronym of 'hand' because a finger is part of a hand.
- The word 'wheel' is a meronym of 'car' since a wheel is a component of a car.
- Linguists study meronyms to understand how words relate to their parts.
- 'Leg' is a meronym of 'table' in the same way that 'leg' is a meronym of 'chair'.
- Understanding meronyms helps students grasp part-to-whole semantic relationships.