Meaning & use

paradigm

noun·Advanced

A typical example or pattern of something, or a widely accepted model of how ideas relate to one another.

See it in a sentence

The discovery of DNA's structure created a new paradigm in biology.

Her leadership style became a paradigm that other managers tried to copy.

A note on using this word

A paradigm shift describes a fundamental change in a field's basic assumptions, a phrase popularized by philosopher Thomas Kuhn.

Words with a similar meaning

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