What does "corpus" mean?
A collection of written or spoken texts.
Corpus
/ˈkɔːpəs/ name, noun, slang
name, noun, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A collection of written or spoken texts.
- Grammar: corpus is listed as name, noun, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: a to izzard, a to z, acquaintance, aggregate.
- Useful contrasts: fragment, snippet, tunica.
- Usage evidence: We created a freely available English-Japanese bilingual corpus.
How to use "corpus"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "corpus" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "corpus" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "corpus" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "corpus" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "corpus" is acting as name, noun, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a to izzard" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "corpus", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A collection of written or spoken texts.
"No one suggests that Browning intended to mean vagina when he wrote “owls and bats, / Cowls and twats,” because the context does not allow for it, nor does the greater context of the Browning corpus."
- 2 the main part of an organ or other bodily structure wordnet
- 3 A collection of written or spoken texts.; Such a collection in form of an electronic database used for linguistic analyses. specifically
"Text corpora are being used in most current lexicographic projects. Applied linguistic research is another field where text corpora are welcome as an inexhaustible source of empirical information, a polygon for testing various linguistic tools – spell-checkers, OCRs, machine translation systems, NLP systems, etc."
- 4 a collection of writings wordnet
- 5 A structure of a special character or function in the animal body.
"the corpus of the uterus"
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 capital as contrasted with the income derived from it wordnet
- 7 A collection or body of objects with similar characteristics. uncommon
"About a hundred years ago in Germany, the publishing of corpuses of the ancient Greek coinages was started. […] The significance of those, and some other corpuses is exclusive, because they allowed an enormous amount of numismatic material kept in museum and private collections all over the world, to be studied and systematized."
- 8 The body of a man or animal. archaic
Proper Noun
- 1 Corpus Christi (city in Texas) informal
- 2 Corpus Christi College, Cambridge.
- 3 Corpus Christi College, Oxford.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"We created a freely available English-Japanese bilingual corpus."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "corpus"?
Common synonyms include: a to izzard, a to z, acquaintance, aggregate, all, all and sundry.
How do you use "corpus" in a sentence?
We created a freely available English-Japanese bilingual corpus.
How do you pronounce "corpus"?
Pronounced /ˈkɔːpəs/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Borrowed from Latin corpus (“body”). Doublet of corpse, corps, and riff.
Etymology 2
Clipping of Corpus Christi.