Monosemantic

Monosemantic is an adjective used in linguistics and related fields to describe a sign, word, or system that has a single, unambiguous meaning within a given language or domain. In lexical semantics, a monosemantic item typically conveys one core sense, in contrast to polysemous terms that bear multiple related meanings. In practice, true monosemy is relatively rare in natural language, since context and usage often influence interpretation.

The concept also applies to formal or computational semantics. A monosemantic language or vocabulary maps each sign or token to a single concept or reference, enabling straightforward interpretation and reducing ambiguity. This one-to-one mapping is advantageous for information retrieval, ontology design, and automated reasoning, where precise disambiguation is essential.

Usage and nuance: some scholars differentiate between monosemantic properties of a system and monosemantic words as individual items. In everyday language, many terms acquire secondary senses through metaphor, extension, or domain-specific jargon, complicating their status as truly monosemantic. Controlled vocabularies and terminologies, such as medical or scientific lexicons, strive for monosemy by restricting meanings to single concepts.

See also: monosemy, polysemy, ambiguity, homonymy, lexical semantics.