paradigm
pa
ˈpɛ
pe
ra
digm
ˌdaɪm
daim
British pronunciation
/pˈæɹədˌa‍ɪm/

Definition & Meaning of "paradigm"in English

Paradigm
01

a structured set showing how a word changes to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, or case

What is a "paradigm"?

A paradigm is a set of related forms or variations of a word that follow a specific pattern in a language. It typically includes different grammatical forms such as tense, number, or case for verbs, nouns, or adjectives. For example, the paradigm for the verb "to be" includes forms like "am", "is", "are", "was", and "were". Paradigms help organize and categorize the grammatical changes a word can undergo, providing a systematic way to understand how words behave within a language. They are essential for mastering inflection and conjugation, allowing speakers to use words accurately in different contexts.

example
Examples
The verb run has the paradigm: run, runs, ran, running.
Latin nouns follow specific paradigms to show case endings like puella, puellae, puellam, etc.
02

a very typical example or model of something that sets a standard or pattern

example
Examples
The new smartphone design became a paradigm of sleek, modern technology in the industry.
Her approach to leadership is considered a paradigm of effective management and team-building.
03

a selection of theories and ideas that explain how a particular school, subject, or discipline is generally understood

example
Examples
The new research shifted the paradigm of how we understand climate change.
The teacher explained the scientific paradigm to help students grasp the concept.
04

a set of linguistic units, words or morphemes, that share a grammatical function and can replace one another in a given syntactic slot

example
Examples
In " She saw a cat, " the word cat belongs to a noun paradigm: dog, child, book, etc.
The slot " He _ _ _ quickly " allows verbs like ran, walked, drove, jumped — all in paradigmatic relation.
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