Dictionary
Find
in
Dictionary
Thesaurus
Translations

Click to move up the list of words
parachute
parachute pants
parachute spinnaker
Paraclete
parade
parade ground
paradichlorobenzene
paradiddle
paradigm
paradigm shift
paradise
paradise duck
paradise flycatcher
parador
parados
paradox
paradox of thrift
Click to move down the list of words
Print Preview
See pronunciation key
Search for "Paradigm" in all of MSN Encarta
E-mail this entry
Blog about this entry on MSN Spaces
Download the MSN Encarta Right-Click Dictionary

paradigm

par·a·digm [ párrə dm ] (plural par·a·digms)


noun 
Definition:
 
1. typical example: a typical example of something

2. model that forms basis of something: an example that serves as a pattern or model for something, especially one that forms the basis of a methodology or theory

3. set of all forms of word: a set of word forms giving all of the possible inflections of a word

4. relationship of ideas to one another: in the philosophy of science, a generally accepted model of how ideas relate to one another, forming a conceptual framework within which scientific research is carried out

[15th century. Via late Latin< Greek paradeigma "example" < paradeiknunai, literally "show beside" < deiknunai "to show"]

par·a·dig·mat·ic [ pàrrə dig máttik ] adjective
par·a·dig·mat·i·cal·ly adverb
Advertisement

Also on Encarta
Englishtown: Learn English online
Our Partners
Also on MSN
Encarta Message Boards (© Rubberball/Jupiterimages)
MSN Shopping
Upgrade your Encarta experience
Encarta RSS Feeds
© 2008 Microsoft