Sematic

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Describing coloration or markings in animals that serve as a warning signal to predators or rivals
2. Relating to bright or conspicuous appearance in creatures that signals danger or unpalatability to others
3. Characterizing the coloring of an organism that advertises its defenses or toxicity to would-be attackers

Etymology: "Sematic" comes from Ancient Greek "sêma" (genitive "sēmatos"), meaning "sign, mark, or token," with the English suffix "-ic" attached to form an adjective meaning "relating to signs." The Greek root gave English a whole family of words for meaning and signification, and "sematic" belongs to that group, describing things connected with signs or with the meaning they carry. The word is a straightforward formation rather than a famous coinage: a classical Greek noun, a genitive stem, and an English adjectival suffix. Its surprise lies mostly in how little it has to change from its origin, since the core idea of a sign or marker has stayed almost intact from Greek into the technical vocabulary of English.