What does "ontology" mean?
The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being qua being.
Ontology
/ɒnˈtɒləd͡ʒi/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being qua being.
- Grammar: ontology is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: aesthetics, atomism, axiology, casuistry.
- Useful contrasts: no ontological commitment, nonbeing, nonexistence.
- Usage evidence: Ontology studies the way in which entities that exist are related.
How to use "ontology"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "ontology" 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 "ontology" 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 "ontology" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "ontology" 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 "ontology" is acting as noun 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 "aesthetics" 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 "ontology", 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 The branch of metaphysics that addresses the nature or essential characteristics of being and of things that exist; the study of being qua being. uncountable
"[Martin] Heidegger's concern […] was with ontology, the nature of beings, above all humans. The central question for him was "What is being? What is it for something to be?" He tackled this question not by way of the sciences, but by way of an examination of our prescientific daily life. We are, he argued, not cut off from the world by our mental processes: we are "in the world", in direct contact with our surroundings."
- 2 the metaphysical study of the nature of being and existence wordnet
- 3 In a subject view, or a world view, the set of conceptual or material things or classes of things that are recognised as existing, or are assumed to exist in context, and their interrelations; in a body of theory, the ontology comprises the domain of discourse, the things that are defined as existing, together with whatever emerges from their mutual implications. uncountable
"Meronym: taxonomy"
- 4 (computer science) a rigorous and exhaustive organization of some knowledge domain that is usually hierarchical and contains all the relevant entities and their relations wordnet
- 5 The theory of a particular philosopher or school of thought concerning the fundamental types of entity in the universe. countable
"The answer to the controversial question of whether Aristotle's ontology includes non-substantial particulars, then, is that it does."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A logical system involving theory of classes, developed by Stanislaw Lesniewski (1886-1939). countable, uncountable
- 7 A structure of concepts or entities within a domain, organized by relationships; a system model. countable
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"Ontology studies the way in which entities that exist are related."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "ontology"?
Common synonyms include: aesthetics, atomism, axiology, casuistry, conceptual schema, cosmology.
How do you use "ontology" in a sentence?
Ontology studies the way in which entities that exist are related.
How do you pronounce "ontology"?
Pronounced /ɒnˈtɒləd͡ʒi/.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from New Latin ontologia (1606, Ogdoas Scholastica, by Jacob Lorhard (Lorhardus), from Ancient Greek ὤν, ὄντος (ṓn, óntos, “being”), present participle of εἰμί (eimí, “being, existing, essence”) + λόγος (lógos, “account”). By surface analysis, onto- + -logy. First known English use 1663: Archelogia philosophica nova; or, New principles of Philosophy. Containing Philosophy in general, Metaphysicks or Ontology, Dynamilogy or a Discourse of Power, Religio Philosophi or Natural Theology, Physicks or Natural philosophy, by Gideon Harvey (1636–1702), London, Thomson, 1663. Popularized as a philosophical term by German philosopher Christian Wolff (1679–1754).