Reflected Meaning in Language

Reflected Meaning

• Arises when a word possesses multiple conceptual meanings.
• The word has more than one conceptual meaning.
• Multiple conceptual meanings exist for the word.
• A dominant meaning exists among the several meanings.
• As a particular sense of a word gains prominence:
  • Other senses become de-emphasized.
  • Over time, these other senses may disappear completely.

Collective Meaning