Polisemia polskich terminów medycznych

This paper discusses several aspects of polysemy in terminology. Ambisemy is the continual variation in conceptual content of a term proposed by individual specialists driven by a need to identify salient elements of concepts with increasing precision. Eurysemy is when lexemes with a very general and vague meaning, such as modification or system, are assigned much more specific meanings in particular subject fields. They often contain a verbal element and the specification of meaning occurs when specific argument positions are filled. Intercategorial polysemy occurs in words containing polysemic morphemes, as when words with –ation refer to a process or its result. Other polysemic terms can also be classified into specific categories, but they are not predictable. Terminologisation and determinologisation are also sources of polysemy. Instances of polysemy may be limited to one language or modelled on developments in other languages. These aspects of polysemy are then identified in a sample of Polish medical terms.