paradigm
1 of 1nouna structured set showing how a word changes to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, or case
A paradigm is a set of related forms or variations of a word that follow a specific pattern in a language. It typically includes different grammatical forms such as tense, number, or case for verbs, nouns, or adjectives. For example, the paradigm for the verb "to be" includes forms like "am", "is", "are", "was", and "were". Paradigms help organize and categorize the grammatical changes a word can undergo, providing a systematic way to understand how words behave within a language. They are essential for mastering inflection and conjugation, allowing speakers to use words accurately in different contexts.
- The verb run has the paradigm: run, runs, ran, running.
- Latin nouns follow specific paradigms to show case endings like puella, puellae, puellam, etc.
- In Greek, each verb has a paradigm that learners must memorize to master conjugation.
a very typical example or model of something that sets a standard or pattern
- The new smartphone design became a paradigm of sleek, modern technology in the industry.
- Her approach to leadership is considered a paradigm of effective management and team-building.
- The artist’s work serves as a paradigm of the abstract expressionist movement.
- The novel’s plot was a paradigm of classic hero’s journey storytelling.
- The research study provided a paradigm for understanding the relationship between diet and health.
a selection of theories and ideas that explain how a particular school, subject, or discipline is generally understood
- The new research shifted the paradigm of how we understand climate change.
- The teacher explained the scientific paradigm to help students grasp the concept.
- Her work challenged the existing paradigm in educational theory.
- The book offered a fresh paradigm for understanding economic trends.
- The old paradigm was replaced by a more modern and effective model.
a set of linguistic units, words or morphemes, that share a grammatical function and can replace one another in a given syntactic slot
- In "She saw a cat," the word cat belongs to a noun paradigm: dog, child, book, etc.
- The slot "He ___ quickly" allows verbs like ran, walked, drove, jumped—all in paradigmatic relation.
- Adjectives like happy, sad, angry, tired form a paradigm in "She is ___."