What does "word" mean?
The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.)
Word
/wɜːd/ intj, name, noun, verb, slang
intj, name, noun, verb, slang ·Top 500 ·Elementary level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.)
- Grammar: word is listed as intj, name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: lexeme, account, acquaintance, adage.
- Useful contrasts: mathematical notation, number marker, unworded.
- Usage evidence: It's a word I'd like to find a substitute for.
How to use "word"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "word" 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 "word" 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 "word" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "word" 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 "word" is acting as intj, name, noun, verb, 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 "lexeme" 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 "word", 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 smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.) countable, uncountable
"But every word, whether written or spoken, which urges the woman to antagonism against the man, every word which is written or spoken to try and make of her a hybrid, self-contained opponent of men, makes a rift in the lute to which the world looks for its sweetest music."
- 2 a unit of language that native speakers can identify wordnet
- 3 The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.); The smallest discrete unit of spoken language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more phonemes and one or more morphemes countable, uncountable
"Then all was silent save the voice of the high priest, whose words grew louder and louder, […]"
- 4 the sacred writings of the Christian religions wordnet
- 5 The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.); The smallest discrete unit of written language with a particular meaning, composed of one or more letters or symbols and one or more morphemes countable, uncountable
"Polonius: What do you read, my lord? Hamlet: Words, words, words."
Show 26 more definitions
- 6 information about recent and important events wordnet
- 7 The smallest unit of language that has a particular meaning and can be expressed by itself; the smallest discrete, meaningful unit of language. (contrast morpheme.); A discrete, meaningful unit of language approved by an authority or native speaker (compare non-word). countable, uncountable
"“Ain’t! How often am I to tell you ain’t ain’t a word?”"
- 8 a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group wordnet
- 9 Something like such a unit of language:; A sequence of letters, characters, or sounds, considered as a discrete entity, though it does not necessarily belong to a language or have a meaning. countable, uncountable
"In still another variation, the nonsense word is presented and the teacher asks, "What sound was in the beginning of the word?" "In the middle?" and so on. The child should always respond with the phoneme; he should not use letter labels."
- 10 a brief statement wordnet
- 11 Something like such a unit of language:; A unit of text equivalent to five characters and one space. countable, uncountable
- 12 an exchange of views on some topic wordnet
- 13 Something like such a unit of language:; A fixed-size group of bits handled as a unit by a machine and which can be stored in or retrieved from a typical register (so that it has the same size as such a register). countable, uncountable
"The size of a register in the MIPS architecture is 32 bits; groups of 32 bits occur so frequently that they are given the name word in the MIPS architecture."
- 14 a verbal command for action wordnet
- 15 Something like such a unit of language:; With regards to Intel or Intel-compatible hardware and/or in the context of Windows programming, a group of exactly 16 bits regardless of the actual processor capabilities; a fossilized unit referring to the small word size of historical CPUs. countable, uncountable
- 16 a promise wordnet
- 17 Something like such a unit of language:; A finite string that is not a command or operator. countable, uncountable
- 18 a string of bits stored in computer memory wordnet
- 19 Something like such a unit of language:; A group element, expressed as a product of group elements. countable, uncountable
- 20 The fact or act of speaking, as opposed to taking action. . countable, uncountable
"[…] she believed them still so very much attached to each other, that they could not be too sedulously divided in word and deed on every occasion."
- 21 Something that someone said; a comment, utterance; speech. countable, uncountable
"And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice."
- 22 A watchword or rallying cry, a verbal signal (even when consisting of multiple words). countable, uncountable
"mum's the word"
- 23 A proverb or motto. countable, obsolete, uncountable
"Among all other was wrytten in her trone / In golde letters, this worde, whiche I dyde rede: / Garder le fortune que est mauelz et bone."
- 24 News; tidings. uncountable
"Have you had any word from John yet?"
- 25 An order; a request or instruction; an expression of will. countable, uncountable
"He sent word that we should strike camp before winter."
- 26 A promise; an oath or guarantee. countable, uncountable
"I give you my word that I will be there on time."
- 27 A brief discussion or conversation. countable, uncountable
"I managed to murmur some words of consolation as I left the funeral."
- 28 A minor reprimand. countable, uncountable
"I had a word with him about it."
- 29 See words. countable, in-plural, uncountable
"There had been words between him and the secretary about the outcome of the meeting."
- 30 Communication from God; the message of the Christian gospel; the Bible, Scripture. countable, uncountable
"Her parents had lived in Botswana, spreading the word among the tribespeople."
- 31 Logos, Christ. countable, uncountable
"And that worde was made flesshe, and dwelt amonge vs, and we sawe the glory off yt, as the glory off the only begotten sonne off the father, which worde was full of grace, and verite."
Verb
- 1 To say or write (something) using particular words; to phrase (something). transitive
"I’m not sure how to word this letter to the council."
- 2 Alternative form of worth (“to become”). alt-of, alternative
- 3 put into words or an expression wordnet
- 4 To flatter with words, to cajole. obsolete, transitive
"He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not / be noble to myself."
- 5 To ply or overpower with words. transitive
"[…] if one were to be worded to death, Italian is the fittest Language [for that task]"
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 To conjure with a word. rare, transitive
"Against him […] who could word heaven and earth out of nothing, and can when he pleases word them into nothing again."
- 7 To speak, to use words; to converse, to discourse. archaic, intransitive
"Thus wording timidly among the fierce: / "O Father, I am here the simplest voice, […]""
Intj
- 1 Truth, indeed, that is the truth! The shortened form of the statement "My word is my bond." slang
""Yo, that movie was epic!" / "Word?" ("You speak the truth?") / "Word." ("I speak the truth.")"
- 2 An abbreviated form of word up; a statement of the acknowledgment of fact with a hint of nonchalant approval. emphatic, slang
""[…] Know what I'm sayin'?" / "Word!" the other man strongly agreed. "Let's do this — ""
Proper Noun
- 1 Scripture; the Bible.
"In one of our first meetings, I explained to President Jiang that faith was a vital part of my life and that I studied the Word every day. I told him I planned to raise freedom of worship in our conversations. "I read the Bible," he replied, "but I don’t trust what it says.""
- 2 Microsoft Word, word processor software developed by Microsoft.
"You have to type that up in Word."
- 3 The creative word of God; Logos.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Example
"It's a word I'd like to find a substitute for."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "word"?
Common synonyms include: lexeme, account, acquaintance, adage, address, admission.
How do you use "word" in a sentence?
It's a word I'd like to find a substitute for.
How do you pronounce "word"?
Pronounced /wɜːd/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English word, from Old English word, from Proto-West Germanic *word, from Proto-Germanic *wurdą (“word”), from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰh₁om (“word”), from *werh₁- (“to say, speak”). Doublet of verb, verve, and vort; further related to vrata. Cognates Cognate with Scots wird (“word”), North Frisian uurd, Uurt, wurd, wårde, wür (“word”), Saterland Frisian Woud, Wud (“word”), West Frisian wurd (“word”), Alemannic German wort, wourd, wuart, wòrt, wört (“word”), Bavarian boart, bort, bört, Wurt (“word”), Cimbrian bóart, bort (“word”), Dutch woord (“word”), German Wort (“word”), German Low German Woord, Woort (“word”), Limburgish waord, Woërt (“word”), Luxembourgish Wuert (“word”), Mòcheno bourt (“word”), Vilamovian wiüt, wuyt (“word”), Yiddish וואָרט (vort, “word”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk, and Swedish ord (“word”), Elfdalian uord (“word”), Faroese, Icelandic, and Scanian orð (“word”), Gutnish ård (“word”), Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳 (waurd, “word”); also Ancient Greek ῥητός (rhētós, “spoken, stipulated”); also Latin verbum (“word”), Umbrian 𐌖𐌄𐌓𐌚𐌀𐌋𐌄 (uerfale, “temple”), Ancient Greek εἴρω (eírō, “to say, speak, tell”), Latgalian vuords (“name; word”), Latvian vārds (“name; word”), Lithuanian var̃das (“name”), Russian врать (vratʹ, “to lie”), Serbo-Croatian ва̏рати, vȁrati (“to cheat, deceive, trick, swindle; to be mistaken”), Armenian հորջորջել (horǰorǰel, “to call, name”), Ashkun vīri (“word”), Kamkata-viri vëri, viri (“word”), Prasuni veri, verī, vëre, vëri (“word”), Sanskrit व्रत (vrata, “command; law; will”).
Etymology 2
Variant of worth (“to become, turn into, grow, get”), from Middle English worthen, from Old English weorþan (“to turn into, become, grow”), from Proto-West Germanic *werþan, from Proto-Germanic *werþaną (“to turn, turn into, become”). More at worth § Verb.
Etymology 3
Semantic loan from Koine Greek λόγος (lógos).
Etymology 4
Ellipsis of Microsoft Word; from word.
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