Semantics

noun, (used with a singular verb)
1.
Linguistics.

the study of meaning.
the study of linguistic development by classifying and examining changes in meaning and form.

2.
Also called significs. the branch of semiotics dealing with the relations between signs and what they denote.
3.
the meaning, or an interpretation of the meaning, of a word, sign, sentence, etc.:
Let’s not argue about semantics.
4.
general semantics.
noun (functioning as sing)
1.
the branch of linguistics that deals with the study of meaning, changes in meaning, and the principles that govern the relationship between sentences or words and their meanings
2.
the study of the relationships between signs and symbols and what they represent
3.
(logic)

the study of interpretations of a formal theory
the study of the relationship between the structure of a theory and its subject matter
(of a formal theory) the principles that determine the truth or falsehood of sentences within the theory, and the references of its terms

semantics se·man·tics (sĭ-mān’tĭks)
n.

The study or science of meaning in language forms.

The study of the relationships between various signs and symbols and what they represent.

semantics definition

The scientific or philosophical study of the relations of words and their meanings.

Note: Semantics is commonly used to refer to a trivial point or distinction that revolves around mere words rather than significant issues: “To argue whether the medication killed the patient or contributed to her death is to argue over semantics.”

theory
The meaning of a string in some language, as opposed to syntax which describes how symbols may be combined independent of their meaning.
The semantics of a programming language is a function from programs to answers. A program is a closed term and, in practical languages, an answer is a member of the syntactic category of values. The two main kinds are denotational semantics and operational semantics.
(1995-06-21)