Paradigm

/ˈpæɹ.ə.daɪm/ · noun

Meaning

A pattern, a way of doing something; especially a pattern of thought, a system of beliefs, a conceptual framework..

Definitions by Sense

1. A pattern, a way of doing something; especially a pattern of thought, a system of beliefs, a conceptual framework.
2. An example serving as the model for such a pattern; an exceptionally good or prototypical example of a pattern or group.
3. (linguistics) A set of all forms which contain a common element, especially the set of all inflectional forms of a word or a particular grammatical category.

Example Sentences

Near-synonyms: style, model, worldview

Thomas Kuhn's landmark “The Structure of Scientific Revolutions” got people talking about paradigm shifts, to the point the word itself now suggests an incomplete or biased perspective.

At times, the assimilationist paradigm has facilitated the physical dispossession of Native lands and the suppression or eradication of Native institutions, culture, and identity by the political branches of the federal government.

Near-synonyms: template, exemplar, archetype, poster child; see also Thesaurus:exemplar, Thesaurus:model

According to the Fourth Circuit, “Coca-Cola” is “the paradigm of a descriptive mark that has acquired secondary meaning”.

DRT is a paradigm example of a dynamic semantic theory, […]

The paradigm of "to sing" is "sing, sang, sung". The verb "to ring" follows the same paradigm.

Synonyms for paradigm

Antonyms for paradigm

Related Words

Word Forms

• paradigms
• paradigmata

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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