víceznaný

Víceznaný is a Czech adjective used to describe a word, sign or expression that carries more than one meaning. In linguistic contexts it corresponds to the concept of polysemy or ambiguity, when a single linguistic form is interpreted in different ways depending on context. The term contrasts with jednoznačný, which denotes a single, unambiguous meaning.

Usage of víceznaný emphasizes semantic multiplicity: lexical items can be víceznané when they have several related senses (polysemy) or when they allow multiple unrelated interpretations (homonymy or ambiguity). Determining whether meanings are distinct senses or accidental homonyms is a central task in lexicography and semantics. Contextual clues, syntactic patterns and pragmatic information often resolve víceznané interpretations in communication.

In applied fields such as translation, information retrieval and natural language processing, víceznanost (the related noun) poses challenges for disambiguation algorithms and accurate meaning transfer. In law and formal specification, víceznaný wording is typically avoided to prevent misunderstandings.

The form víceznaný may be encountered alongside or as a variant of víceznačný; usage norms favor víceznačný in some registers. Examples include common lexical items that shift meaning with context (for instance, the noun "bank" in English as a financial institution or riverbank). Related concepts include polysemy, homonymy, ambiguity and semantic shift.