This book provides an engaging introduction to semantics for students new to the field. It covers the basic concepts and methods of the field and discusses some of the most important contemporary lines of research. Semantics is divided into three parts: the first establishes the place of semantics within linguistics and its relationship to other disciplines. The second introduces key topics in the description of word and sentence meaning. The final part reviews the three main current theoretical approaches to semantics: componential theory, formal semantics, and cognitive semantics. Each chapter contains exercises that familiarize the student with the practice of semantic description. The second edition of this classic work is a complete revision that updates and extends the discussion of theories and is a vital resource for students of semantics.