Offering a cognitive approach to semantics, this highly accessible textbook place cognitive linguistics at the centre of lexical semantics while covering the field in a broader sense. It explains the fundamental concepts underlying the study of lexical semantics and defines them succinctly. Divided into three parts, the book introduces lexical semantics then explores earlier approaches to lexical meaning. Finally, the author considers cognitive processes and conceptual mappings. Each chapter includes: · chapter outlines and summaries · key takeaways · practice activities · further reading suggestions. The author explains the theories of lexical meaning, introduces key concepts used in the study of meaning, and elaborates on key principles for effective analysis of semantic structure. He also explores the mechanisms of analyzing semantic structures and the techniques used to explain their interpretation. Presenting a cognitive-linguistic description of an important area in language study relating structure to cognition, this book offers a novel approach for producing and interpreting lexical items in English.