Definition:
The process by which the meaning of a word becomes broader or more inclusive than its earlier meaning. Contrast with semantic narrowing. See also: Introduction to Etymology.
Examples and Observations:
- "Broadening of meaning. This occurs when a word with a specific or limited meaning is widened. The broadening process is technically called generalization. An example of generalization is the word business, which originally meant 'the state of being busy, careworn, or anxious,' and was broadened to encompass all kinds of work or occupations."
(Sol Steinmetz, Semantic Antics: How and Why Words Change Meaning, Random House, 2008) - "Sometimes the use of existing words can become broader. For example, the slang word cool was originally part of the professional jargon of jazz musicians and referred to a specific artistic style of jazz (a use that was itself an extension). With the passage of time, the word has come to be applied to almost anything conceivable, not just music; and it no longer refers just to a certain genre or style, but is a general term indicating approval of the thing in question."
(Adrian Akmajian, Richard Demers, Ann Farmer, and Robert Harnish, Linguistics: An Introduction to Language and Communication, The MIT Press, 2001) - "Extension or Generalization. A lexeme widens its meaning. Numerous examples of this process have occurred in the religious field, where office, doctrine, novice, and many other terms have taken on a more general, secular meaning."
(David Crystal, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, Cambridge University Press, 2003)
Also Known As: generalization, extension
