stopword: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low (Specialist term)Technical, Academic, Computing
Quick answer
What does “stopword” mean?
A commonly used word that is filtered out during text processing because it lacks significant meaning for search or analysis.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A commonly used word that is filtered out during text processing because it lacks significant meaning for search or analysis.
In computational linguistics and information retrieval, a function word (like 'the', 'a', 'is') that is typically removed from text to improve the efficiency of indexing and searching, though the specific list varies by application.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in spelling and meaning. Potential minor spelling differences only within example phrases (e.g., 'programme' vs. 'program').
Connotations
None; purely technical.
Frequency
Equally low frequency and confined to the same technical fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “stopword” in a Sentence
The parser [removes/filters] stopwords.Words like 'the' and 'is' are [considered/treated as] stopwords.You need to [configure/define] your stopword list.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “stopword” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The algorithm will stopword common articles before indexing.
- We need to stopword these terms to improve relevance.
American English
- The software stopwords prepositions by default.
- Did you remember to stopword the conjunction 'and'?
adjective
British English
- Make sure you review the stopword list for the new programme.
- The stopword filter needs updating.
American English
- The stopword removal process is essential for this analysis.
- We use a custom stopword dictionary.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in marketing analytics when analysing customer feedback or search query data.
Academic
Common in computational linguistics, information science, and digital humanities papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Core term in search engine design, text mining, and natural language processing (NLP).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “stopword”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “stopword”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “stopword”
- Confusing 'stopword' with 'banned word' or 'profanity'.
- Assuming 'stopword' refers to a word that ends a sentence.
- Using it in non-technical contexts where it will not be understood.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on the context. In sentiment analysis, 'not' is crucial and usually kept. In simple keyword search, it is often on the stopword list. Stopword lists are application-specific.
Yes. For phrase searching, natural language understanding, or certain linguistic analyses, stopwords are essential for grammar and meaning. They are only 'stopped' in specific processes like keyword indexing.
There is no universal list. Developers or linguists create a stopword list tailored to their specific language, domain (e.g., legal vs. medical texts), and the goal of their analysis.
Modern search engines like Google use sophisticated algorithms that may ignore common stopwords in simple queries but will consider them for phrase searches (enclosed in quotes) and to understand query intent. They are not simply deleted.
A commonly used word that is filtered out during text processing because it lacks significant meaning for search or analysis.
Stopword is usually technical, academic, computing in register.
Stopword: in British English it is pronounced /ˈstɒp.wɜːd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈstɑːp.wɝːd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a traffic **STOP** sign. A **stopword** is a word that makes the computer 'STOP' paying attention to it during analysis.
Conceptual Metaphor
TEXT PROCESSING IS SIFTING: Stopwords are the 'chaff' or 'sand' that is sifted out to leave the valuable 'grains' (keywords).
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'stopword' primarily used?