Semantic change (also
semantic shift,
semantic progression or
semantic drift) is the evolution of
word usage — usually to the point that the modern meaning is radically different from the original usage. In
diachronic (or historical) linguistics, semantic change is a change in one of the meanings of a
word. Every word has a variety of senses and
connotations, which can be added, removed, or altered over time, often to the extent that
cognates across space and time have very different meanings. The study of semantic change can be seen as part of
etymology,
onomasiology,
semasiology, and
semantics.