Words that mean specific phrases

So you have synonyms which are multiple words that fall into the same or similar meaning, but what is it called when you have a word that means a certain phrase, sentence or meaning? For example, it resides a lot in names where Lydia may mean "Strong Woman" and so on (NOT THE ACTUAL MEANING). Another example is Samsung meaning "Three Stars" apparently.

What is the name of this occurrence? It would make it easier for me to produce names for things that hold meaning and not just because they sound good.

When we all bray at the top of our lungs in the market square all you have is a bunch of donkeys and a whole mess of shat.

originally posted by: jonwhite866
What is the name of this occurrence? It would make it easier for me to produce names for things that hold meaning and not just because they sound good.

Can you give better examples?

The meaning of names usually comes from other languages. Using your example, Lydia is a feminine first name of Greek origin Λυδια. The name means "woman from Lydia."

Sam Sung is Korean for "Three Stars". Source

So, throw out a few more examples, because these are simply words from other languages.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Probably a better explanation would be finding words from the meanings.

"To blend together" - Conflate
"In a lovely rural setting" - Bucolic
"The resolution of a mystery" - Denouement
deshoda.com... age/

So instead of finding the definition of a word, I want to find a word(s) for the definition. So if I were to want a word that means "Achieving new heights", what would I search other than "words that mean Achieving new heights" as that doesn't get what I'm looking for. When I need a synonym I just search "Achievement synonyms" and I get them. I hope that put things in better perspective.

a reply to: jonwhite866

I am not sure but I don't think the English language works that way .Hebrew yes and Inuit yes . Inuit have 80 words for snow . Greeks have 6 words for love ....I can't think of this being the case for English .

a reply to: jonwhite866

The study of where words come from is etymology. That's what I was giving you. Your words (Conflate, Bucolic, etc) come from other languages. We don't just decide to assign a single word to a phrase.
Conflate is from the Latin word that ALREADY MEANS "bring together"
Bucolic comes from the Greek "cow".
Denouement comes from Latin "an untying".

I know what you're looking for, but I don't think it exists.

a reply to: Benevolent Heretic

Ahh okay, I'll do a little research on etymology and see if that gives me any success haha. Thanks for your input.

a reply to: jonwhite866

Maybe the "reverse dictionary" ?

REVERSE DICTIONARY

Sorry, that's all I got...hope it helps!

originally posted by: jonwhite866
So instead of finding the definition of a word, I want to find a word(s) for the definition. So if I were to want a word that means "Achieving new heights", what would I search other than "words that mean Achieving new heights" as that doesn't get what I'm looking for. When I need a synonym I just search "Achievement synonyms" and I get them. I hope that put things in better perspective.

If ths is the kind of thing you're looking for, have you tried a copy of Roget's Thesaurus?
i don't know if there is an online version. This may be the kind of situation where old-fashioned printed books work better.

I picked my kids names by their meanings. More people should. There would be less circular file names of all parents did this.

originally posted by: the2ofusr1
a reply to: jonwhite866

I am not sure but I don't think the English language works that way .Hebrew yes and Inuit yes . Inuit have 80 words for snow . Greeks have 6 words for love ....I can't think of this being the case for English .

English does have plethora of different possible synonyms for love depending, of course, on if you want to use it as a noun or verb ... 22 listed in my Thesaurus for a noun and a couple different lists depending if you mean to love in the sense of adore or to love in the sense of the physical act. Each of those lists has more than 5 or 6 possibilities each.

The problem, and you are going to find this even with the Greek words for love, or the Inuit words for snow, is that each of those words does has a specific purpose with differing shades of meaning and connotations. In other words, while the words might be synonymous in the blunt sense, to say, for example that you hold someone dear is far, far different than to say you are having sex with them, and yet both are synonyms for the physical act of loving someone.

a reply to: jonwhite866

Well, in your "Samsung" example, "Sam" means "three" in Korean, and "Sung" means "stars", so "Samsung" is just a Korean compound word meaning "three stars". Sometimes the words that mean phrases are just non-English words that can only best be translated into English phrases since there apparently is no single appropriate English single word that will do so. I'm not sure that there is a term for these circumstances, or maybe I've misunderstood the question...

You mean like... Word
As in "Hey, I saw that chic again at the mall" reply: "Word?" Meaning, cool, or Really, tell me more, or Are you Serious... It can also end with a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point. English is sooo easy

I get what you are asking not examples of those types of words, but more the word that we call those words, ie synonym. I get it we have a word for words that are the same spelled the same way forwards and backwards like racecar, we surely have a word to define what you are asking.. I don't know it though..

As far as research tool. When I am writing something and need another word for what I am trying to say I check a Thesaurus and my Rhyming Dictionary. Always help full. You can only use a word so many times to describe the feeling you are trying to get out.

Any ways that is my two cents? Sents? Sense? Since? Scents? English is soooo easy

a reply to: jonwhite866

They are simply called compound words.

If you are specifically referring to words transferred from one language to another, then the word(s) you are most likely looking for is/are calques or loanwords.

See also: Agglutination or Agglutinate