polysemy
Pronunciation: [ˌpɒlɪˈsiːmi]
Word
Context: "language"
(noun) the idea that one word can have multiple meanings. For example, the word 'bank' can mean the side of a river or a place to keep money.
Example
The word 'bat' is a good example of polysemy; it can refer to a flying mammal or a piece of sports equipment.
Example
There isn't much polysemy in the word 'dog' because it mostly means just one thing.
Example
Can you think of other examples of polysemy in the English language?
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