corpus - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
corpus Word Meanings
- a collection of written texts
- a body of work or writings
- in linguistics, a database of language data
corpus Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
corpus Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈkɔːpəs/
US
/ˈkɔrpəs/
corpus Word Etymology
corpus = body; Origin: Latin → Old French → English. Imagine a vast library filled with scrolls and manuscripts, representing the body of knowledge contained in a 'corpus'.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputReal Context
Corpus refers to a body or collection of written texts that researchers study to analyze language, style, or historical change. In everyday use, it can mean a body of work or a body of literature on a topic. In linguistics, a corpus is a structured database of language data, often tagged with metadata such as author, date, and genre, used to observe patterns across large samples. The word comes from Latin corpus meaning body, later carried into Old French and English, symbolizing the 'body' of language or knowledge. When learning, notice that corpus is usually countable in specific contexts (a corpus of texts) but treated as uncountable in phrases like 'a large corpus'.
Usage Reminders
- • Corpus can be countable in some contexts and uncountable in others. • Plural form is corpora in English. • In linguistics, it usually refers to a structured dataset of language data. • Pay attention to collocations like 'a large corpus' or 'corpus of texts'. • Some languages use a native translation for corpus (eg,語料庫 in Chinese). • Don’t confuse corpus with corpus linguistics as a field.
Common Misconceptions
- It only means a body of literature, not a dataset.
- All corpuses are the same size or quality; size varies greatly.
- Corpora is just a fancy plural; the singular is corpus in all contexts.
- It refers to a software tool or program.
- It always requires manual tagging; many corpora are untagged.
Thinking Differences
English learners often balance corpus as a countable vs uncountable concept and notice that corpora is the standard plural; keep in mind collocations like 'corpus of texts' are common in academia.
Learning Tips
- Practice using corpus with phrases like 'a large corpus' and 'corpus of texts'.
- Know that corpora is the standard plural, not 'corpuses'.
- Differentiate between general 'corpus' (body of texts) and 'corpus linguistics' (field).
- Check whether the language you study uses a native term (eg, 語料庫).
- Experiment with tagged vs untagged corpora to see how metadata helps analysis.
- Compare examples across genres to see how usage patterns differ.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'corpus'?
A.To feel happy
B.To run quickly
C.A large body of text
D.The color red
Step 2: Usage
In which sentence is 'corpus' used correctly?
A.She wore a beautiful corpus dress to the party.
B.The sky turned corpus as the sun set.
C.I can't wait to corpus with my friends later.
D.His research involved analyzing a corpus of ancient manuscripts.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is a synonym of 'corpus'?
A.Blue
B.Happy
C.Slow
D.Document
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'corpus'?
A.Angry
B.Empty
C.Fast
D.Green
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you encounter the word 'corpus'?
A.Athletic training
B.Cooking recipes
C.Music production
D.Medical research
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