paradigm

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈpærəˌdaɪm/ 🇺🇸 /ˈpɛrəˌdaɪm/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    A typical example, pattern, or model of something; an archetype or exemplar that serves as a standard.; A framework of concepts, theories, and methods that constitutes a way of viewing reality within a particular discipline, especially in science (as coined by Thomas Kuhn).; A set of linguistic forms that are related by inflection, such as the different forms of a verb or noun (e.g., sing, sings, sang, sung, singing).; A worldview or a set of assumptions, beliefs, and values that shape how an individual or group perceives and interprets the world.; In rhetoric, a form of argument or illustration that uses a specific example to support a general conclusion; an analogy or comparison.; A standard or pattern, especially one that is widely accepted or established as a norm in a particular field or context.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: paradigms

Collocations

paradigm shiftparadigm changenew paradigmdominant paradigmparadigm ofwithin a paradigm

Derivatives

paradigmaticparadigmatically

Synonyms

modelframeworkpatternarchetypestandardexample

Commonly confused

model
EN: 'Model' is broader and can refer to a physical representation or a person; 'paradigm' specifically refers to a conceptual framework or set of assumptions underlying a discipline.
framework
EN: 'Framework' emphasizes structural organization; 'paradigm' emphasizes the underlying worldview or set of beliefs that shape how something is understood.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember the silent 'g' at the end: 'paradigm' not 'paradign'. The second syllable uses 'a' (par-a-digm), not 'e'.

💬 Examples

  1. The company's success became a paradigm for other startups to follow.

  2. Einstein's theory of relativity represented a paradigm shift in physics.

  3. The paradigm of the Latin verb 'amare' includes amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, and amant.

  4. The cultural paradigm of the Victorian era emphasized strict moral codes and social hierarchies.

  5. The speaker used the paradigm of the tortoise and the hare to argue that persistence outweighs speed.

  6. The Newtonian paradigm dominated scientific thought for over two centuries.