adj. 1. Of or relating to a paradigm. 2. Linguistics Of or relating to the set of substitutional or oppositional relationships a linguistic unit has with other units, such as the relationship between (n) in not and other sounds that could be substituted for it in the same context, like (t) and (p). Together with the set of syntagmatic relations, paradigmatic relations describe the identity of a linguistic unit in a given language. [French paradigmatique, from Greek paradeigmatikos, serving as a model, from paradeigma, paradeigmat-, example; see PARADIGM.] |
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