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Meaning & use

schemas

noun·Academic

Last updated

UK/ˈskiː.məz/
US/ˈskiː.məz/

“schemas” is a form of “schema”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.

Meanings

  1. nounpluraltechnical

    Mental frameworks, built from past experience, that help a person organize information and know what to expect in familiar situations.

    Grammar: Plural of schema; used mainly in psychology and education.

    Patterns

    • schemas about something
    • build schemas

    Children build schemas about the world from the things they touch and see.

    Our schemas for a restaurant tell us to wait to be seated.

    New experiences can force people to change their old schemas.

  2. nounpluralcomputing

    Formal outlines that describe how the data in a database or file is organized, including its tables and fields.

    Grammar: A computing use; each database has its own schema.

    Patterns

    • database schemas
    • define a schema

    The two databases use different schemas, so merging them is hard.

    The team compared the schemas before moving the data.

    XML schemas describe which elements a document may contain.

  3. nounpluralformal

    Simple diagrams or plans that show the main features or structure of something.

    Grammar: A general, formal use found in technical writing.

    Patterns

    • schemas of something

    The engineer drew schemas of the new water system.

    Color-coded schemas helped students follow the process.

    The manual includes schemas for each machine part.

Word forms

singularschema
formal pluralschemata

Common combinations

mental schemas
Mental schemas help us guess what will happen next.
database schemas
The developers redesigned the database schemas.
existing schemas
Children fit new facts into existing schemas.
update schemas
Travel can update our schemas about other cultures.
cognitive schemas
Cognitive schemas shape how we read social situations.

Synonyms and how they differ

frameworks
Frameworks is a general word for supporting structures, while schemas are specifically mental or data structures.
models
Models are simplified versions of something, while schemas organize knowledge or data.
blueprints
Blueprints are detailed plans for building something, while schemas can be mental and informal.
outlines
Outlines give only the main points, whereas schemas imply an organized structure.

Word family

schema noun
singular form of schemas
schemata noun
formal plural of schema
schematic adjective
shown as a simplified diagram
scheme noun
a plan or system; a different word with a similar sound

Commonly confused: schemas or schemes?

schemas vs schemes

Schemes are plans or systems, sometimes secret ones. Schemas are structures for organizing knowledge or data.

Practice

In psychology, children develop ____ that help them organize what they know about the world.

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