Holonymy

Holonymy (from the Greek ὅλον holon, "everything" and ὄνομα onoma, "name") is a semantic notion that is opposed to meronymy, in the same way that the whole and the part are opposed. So, for example, bike is a holonym, while saddle, pedal, and hoop are meronyms.

General information

Unlike the relationship "hyperonymy / hyponymy", which also distinguishes two concepts of different levels, the relationship "holonymy / meronymy" it is not so much of conceptual inclusion as of material inclusion. Indeed, in the opposition "FLOR / Rosa, carnation, tuberose", the hyperonym (FLOR) is a more comprehensive category that includes among its members the rose, carnation and tuberose, among other flowers. On the other hand, in the opposition "HOUSE / bedroom, dining room, kitchen", the holonym names the whole that materially includes the parts (bedroom, dining room, kitchen, etc.).