Hypernyms and Hyponyms: Vocabulary Building

What are “Hypernyms and Hyponyms”?

HYPERNYM ----

[Hyper- Over; -Onym: Name]

Hypernym is a word that denotes a general category.

Hypernym [singular] | Hypernyms [plural]

Examples: game, bird, etc.

Hypernym is also called ‘Generic term’, ‘Super-ordinate’, ‘Super-type’, or ‘Superset’.

Derived terms related to ‘Hypernyms’:

Hypernymous

Words that are hypernyms are said to be hypernymous.

Hypernymy

The state of being a hypernym is called hypernymy.

HYPONYM ----

[Hypo- Under; -Onym: Name]

Hyponym is a word that denotes a particular item from a general category.

Hyponym [singular] | Hyponyms [plural]

Examples: football/hockey/cricket, eagle/peacock/sparrow, etc.

Hyponym is also called ‘Subordinate’, ‘Subtype’ or ‘Subset’.

Derived terms related to ‘Hyponyms’:

Hyponymous

Words that are hyponyms are said to be hyponymous.

Hyponymy

The state of being a hyponym is called hyponymy.

In the above examples, ‘game’ is the hypernym (or supertype) of ‘cricket’, ‘football’ and ‘hockey’.

‘Cricket’, ‘football’ and ‘hockey’ are hyponyms (or subtypes) of ‘game’.

Similarly, ‘bird’ is the hypernym (or supertype) of ‘eagle’, ‘peacock’ and ‘sparrow’.

‘Eagle’, ‘peacock’ and ‘sparrow’ are hyponyms (or subtypes) of ‘bird’.

IMPORTANT NOTE 1:

The relationship between hypernym and hyponym is termed as ‘is-a relationship’.

Pattern:

Hyponym + is-a/an + Hypernym

Example 1:

Hypernym: game

Hyponym: cricket, football, hockey

Cricket is a game.

Football is a game.

Hockey is a game.

Example 2:

Hypernym: bird

Hyponym: eagle, peacock, sparrow

Eagle is a bird.

Peacock is a bird.

Sparrow is a bird.

Hypernyms and Hyponyms -- A

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A1 --

Hypernym -- acid

Hyponyms -- amino acid / ascetic acid / ascorbic acid / boric acid / carbonic acid / citric acid / hydrochloric acid / hydrofluoric acid / lactic acid / nitric acid / nucleic acid / oxalic acid / phosphoric acid / sulfuric (sulphuric) acid

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A2 --

Hypernym -- account

Hyponyms -- budget account / checking account / current account / deposit account / savings account

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A3 --

Hypernym -- affix

Hyponyms -- prefix / suffix

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A4 --

Hypernym -- African

Hyponyms -- Algerian / Congolese / Egyptian / Kenyan / Liberian / Libyan / Moroccan / Senegalese / Sudanese / Ugandan

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A5 --

Hypernym -- algae

Hyponyms -- anabaena / cowstail / cuvie / dabbylocks / featherweed / flans / grapestone / gulf weed / honeyware / laver / liadhaig / murlins / nostoc / pod weed / pompon / oscillatoria / rockweed / seaweed / thong weed / watersilk

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A6 --

Hypernym -- age [a particular period of history

Hyponyms -- bronze age / iron age / new age / stone age

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A7 --

Hypernym -- agent

Hyponyms -- double agent / estate agent / land agent / press agent / secret agent / special agent / travel agent

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A08 --

Hypernym -- alloy

Hyponyms -- amalgam / billon / brass / bronze / iron / magnalium / megallium / nichrome / scandium / solder / steel / stellite

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A09 --

Hypernym -- amphibian

Hyponyms -- frog / salamander / toad

Hypernym / Hyponym -- Example A10 --

Hypernym -- angle

Hyponyms -- acute angle / adjacent angle / exterior angle / interior angle / obtuse angle / reflex angle / right angle