a word that is more generic or more abstract than a given word; a word designating a class of which the given word is a member. Inverse of subtype and hyponym.
a linguistic term for a word whose meaning includes the meanings of other words, as the meaning of transportation includes the meaning of train, chariot, dogsled, airplane, and automobile
A word whose meaning denotes a superordinate or superclass. Animal is a hypernym of dog. Opposite of hyponym. See also superclass and term-equivalence dictionary.
A word is a hypernym (in Greek υπεÏνÏμιον, literally meaning 'extra name') if its meaning encompasses the meaning of another word of which it is a hypernym; a word that is more generic or broad than another given word.