In semiotics and linguistics, a single unit of meaning that distinguishes one word from another, contrasting with the concept of a phoneme in sound systems.
From the prefix 'dis-' (two, separate) combined with 'seme' (a unit of meaning from French 'sème,' from Greek 'sema' meaning sign). The term was coined in mid-20th century linguistics.
This word shows how linguists create precise technical vocabulary—if a phoneme is the smallest sound unit, a diseme is the smallest meaning unit that separates related words.
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