noun
- a semantic relationship in which one word denotes a part or component of something denoted by another word
Usage: linguistics; formal
Examples
- In linguistics, meronymy describes the relationship between 'finger' and 'hand'.
- The word 'wheel' has a meronymy relationship with 'car' because a wheel is part of a car.
- Meronymy is the opposite of holonymy in semantic analysis.
- Understanding meronymy helps linguists map how words relate to their component parts.
- The term 'leg' demonstrates meronymy when referring to a part of a table or a chair.