Definition · context memory
semantic memory
semantic memory is the term for Memory of facts, ideas, and links without the full event where they were learned. You can spot semantic memory in practice when the record shows what the system observes, what choice it makes, and what changes next, without asking the reader to guess or trust a slogan.
157 definitions656 sourced recordsNamed source: ACL Anthology
Why does semantic memory matter?
Fact memory supports reuse across tasks, but facts need sources and correction paths when the world changes. For semantic memory, start with three checks: What is kept, and for how long? Who can write or retrieve it? How would bad data be found and removed? The answers should point to visible evidence, not a promise.
What does semantic memory look like?
An agent stores that a project uses PostgreSQL without preserving the full meeting where it learned this. This example makes semantic memory visible by naming the actor, the action, and the result in practice. It is an illustration for readers, not a claim that every product behaves this way.
What is semantic memory easy to confuse with?
Semantic memory stores facts and links. Episodic memory preserves events with time and conditions. The closest entries here are retrieval-augmented generation, short-term memory, context compression. Compare their definitions with semantic memory before using the names as if they mean the same thing. That comparison keeps semantic memory separate from nearby ideas without pretending the boundary is always perfect.
How certain is this definition?
This definition is provisional. ACL Anthology supports the version you see today, but a better or more direct source may change it. Open the cited page and check its date before you use this entry to choose a product, write a policy, set a safety control, or design a system.
Who introduced the term semantic memory?
We have not verified who first introduced semantic memory. The source supports a useful definition, but it may not be the earliest use. Until a dated primary record settles the question, we leave the origin open. A popular article or product page is not enough to name the person who coined a term.
What should you understand before semantic memory?
Read memory first when semantic memory depends on a more basic idea or mechanism. The link gives you a useful route through the glossary. It does not mean every author teaches the subject in this order, so follow the source when the sequence matters.
What should this term help you answer?
Use semantic memory to ask what an agent can observe, decide, change, remember, or hand off. The questions below turn the definition into a practical check. They are prompts for your own work, not claims made by the source, so change them to fit the system you are examining.
- What is kept, and for how long?
- Who can write or retrieve it?
- How would bad data be found and removed?
Which source supports this definition of semantic memory?
ACL Anthology supports this working definition of semantic memory. We checked the link on 2026-07-12. Open the original record for its context, methods, limits, and publication details. The short explanation here is a guide to semantic memory; the linked source remains the evidence to inspect when the wording or boundary matters.
source foundsemantic memoryChecked 2026-07-12→