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What is the difference between hypernyms and hyponyms? Is defend hypernym to endorse? Similarly what about permit,allow and consent?

I'm confused in both of these things,Is there anyone who clear to me what is actually difference between these two?

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    I think you are confusing hyponymy/hypernymy with synonyms.
    – Kreiri
    Apr 21, 2015 at 17:06

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So I learned that these two words existed just now by reading your post (learn something new every day), but here's the difference between the two:

Hyponym: a more "drilled down" topic from the original word

Hypernym: a generic word that can apply to the original word and others (similar to a category)

Here's the example Wikipedia gives:

Pigeon, crow, eagle and seagull are all hyponyms of bird (their hypernym); which, in turn, is a hyponym of animal.

Pigeon, crow, and eagle are all types of birds. "Bird" is their hypernym as it's the category they fit into. Similarly, "bird" fits into the category of "animal".

To go the other way, starting with "bird", since pigeon, crow, and eagle are types of birds, they are "bird"s hyponym.

Hyper is going up, hypo is going down.

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Hyponymy and hypernymy on Wikipedia.

A hyponym is:

A more specific term; a subordinate grouping word or phrase.

A hypernym is:

A word or phrase whose referents form a set including as a subset the referents of a subordinate term.

So, spoon would be a hyponym of cutlery. Cutlery is a hypernym of spoon, fork and kitchen knife.

Another example: dog is a hyponym of animal.


Similarly what about permit,allow and consent?

I'd say those are synonyms.

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