Paradigm/noun/par·a·digm

A paradigm is a model or pattern of thought widely accepted by people in a particular field. When people think of paradigms, they usually think of a scientific paradigm, the most common type. The scientific paradigm is the model or pattern of thought that explains how the world works and underlies many aspects of human activity, including science, medicine, engineering, and everyday life.

In a Sentence

Scientists and researchers widely accept the scientific paradigm as the most reliable source of information on various scientific and technical topics.

The students experienced a paradigm shift after they traveled to foreign lands and learned about the many other thriving cultures in the world.

Students who study the effects of paradigms find that most paradigms represent shared schools of thought and ideas widely accepted by the public.

Etymology

The word “paradigm” originates from the Greek term paradigma, meaning “model or pattern of something.” The word paradigm first appeared in the English language around the 16th century. We still use this word in our language today to describe shared ideas and thoughts that are widely accepted as belief systems.

Synonym

Model, Example

Antonym

Deviation, Departure