Définition et Signification de "homonymy"

What is "homonymy"?

Homonymy is a linguistic phenomenon where two or more words share the same spelling or pronunciation but have different meanings. For example, the word "bank" can refer to a financial institution or the side of a river. Homonyms can create ambiguity in language, as the context is often needed to determine which meaning is intended. This phenomenon is significant in linguistics and language studies, as it illustrates the complexity of meaning and how words can evolve and diversify over time while maintaining similar forms.