Holonyms and Meronyms: Vocabulary Building

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Education & Teaching, Teaching, Language Experience Approach, Study Aids, ESL, Foreign Languages

• Author: Manik Joshi
• ISBN: 9781311780140
• Publisher: Manik Joshi
• Publication: August 10, 2014
• Imprint: Smashwords Edition
• Language: English

What are “Holonyms and Meronyms”?

HOLONYMS ----
[Holo- Whole; -Onym: Name]
Holonym is a word that denotes a thing that is complete in itself and whose part, member or substance is represented by another word.
Holonym [singular] | Holonyms [plural]
Example: ‘Bird’ is a holonym of ‘Feather’.

Derived terms related to ‘Holonyms’:
Holonymous
Words that are Holonyms are said to be Holonymous.
Holonymy
The state of being a Holonym is called Holonymy.

MERONYMS ----
[Mero- Part; -Onym: Name]
Meronym is a word that denotes a constituent part, member or substance of something that is complete in itself.
Meronym [singular] | Meronyms [plural]
Example: ‘Feather’ is a meronym of ‘Bird’.

Derived terms related to ‘Meronyms’:
Meronymous
Words that are Meronyms are said to be Meronymous.
Meronymy
The state of being a Meronym is called Meronymy.

Holonyms and Meronyms -- A

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A1 --
Holonym -- air-conditioner
Meronyms -- blower / compressor / condenser coil / control panel / cooling coil / evaporator coil / expansion valve / fan / motor / temperature sensing bulb / thermostat

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A2 --
Holonym -- airplane (aeroplane)
Meronyms -- aileron / altimeter / black box / cabin / cargo / cockpit / cowling / elevator / fin / flap / flight deck / fuselage / galley / hatch / jet engine / leading edge / nose / propeller / rudder / seat / slat / tail / trailing edge / undercarriage / wing

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A3 --
Holonym -- airport
Meronyms -- airplane / airstrip / air terminal / control tower / hangar / lounge / taxiway / terminal

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A4 --
Holonym -- algae
Meronyms -- cell membrane / cell wall / chloroplast / cytoplasm / flagellum / nucleolus / nucleus / starch vacuole

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A5 --
Holonym -- atom
Meronyms -- electron / neutron / proton

Other Examples:
Holonym / Meronym -- Example A6 –
‘abacus’ is the holonym of ‘wire’
wire’ is a meronym of ‘abacus’

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A7 –
‘album’ is the holonym of ‘photograph’
‘photograph’ is a meronym of ‘album’

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A8 --
‘asparagus’ is the holonym of ‘spear’
‘spear’ is a meronym of ‘asparagus’

Holonym / Meronym -- Example A9 --
‘atmosphere’ is the holonym of ‘stratosphere’
‘stratosphere’ is a meronym of ‘atmosphere’