An idiom is a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its component words. Parameters: (1) multi-word expression, (2) semantic opacity — the whole meaning is non-compositional relative to its parts, (3) conventionalized usage — accepted by a speech community as a unit, (4) non-productive — cannot be freely extended or modified while preserving meaning. Persistence mechanism: transmitted through language acquisition, maintained by communal usage, reinforced by the impossibility of translation into literal form. An idiom is a lexicalized metaphor — a figure of speech whose figurative reading has become the only reading.
Accepted ontology entry
idiom
An idiom is a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of its component words. Parameters: (1) multi-word expression, (2) semantic opacity — the whole meaning is non-compositional relative to its parts, (3) co…
Definition
Why it is in scope
a human-made linguistic construct: a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be derived from the literal meanings of its constituent words, preserved through cultural transmission and teaching
Names and aliases
- idiomen · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmr784qq1000ks126wltnuaxhDEPENDS_ON →
An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from its literal components. It cannot exist without language — language is its necessary substrate, not merely a facilitator. Remove language and idioms cease to exist.
- cmry97p1b00fbekkxlv2y8slsINSTANCE_OF →
Direction tested: INSTANCE_OF (specific→general). An idiom IS a specific kind of expression — a phrase whose meaning is conventional rather than compositional. This is a subcategory of the expression construct.
- cmrtfjde400049zhnv4xb5z4fINSTANCE_OF →
An idiom is a specific kind of figure of speech — a fixed phrase whose meaning is conventional and non-compositional rather than literal. A competent speaker would call an idiom 'a figure of speech.' Direction: specific (idiom) → general (figure-of-speech).
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 17, 2026, 8:13 PM UTC
- Content hash
- 9ecd066e0398769e23635ce261dd3849c3f06c232422bfc56a34f0435e34400f