Definition
Semantics
Semantics assign meaning to syntactically well-formed expressions and statements of a language. A semantics is typically given by:
- a domain (universe) of discourse,
- an interpretation of the language’s symbols on that domain,
- and a valuation/satisfaction relation that yields values (e.g. truth values) for expressions under the interpretation (and a variable assignment, when applicable).
In short: syntax = form; semantics = meaning.