1. A unit of language: This is the most basic definition. A word is a single, distinct meaningful element of speech or writing, used to express a concept, idea, or object.
Examples: "cat," "run," "beautiful," "love," "the"
2. A spoken or written statement: A word can also refer to a spoken or written utterance, which might consist of one or more words.
Examples: "Hello," "I love you," "What is your name?"
3. A promise or vow: In some contexts, "word" can refer to a solemn promise or vow.
Examples: "He gave his word to help," "They kept their word."
4. News or information: "Word" can also mean news or information.
Examples: "Word on the street is that the store is closing," "I haven't heard a word from her."
5. A command or order: "Word" can be used as a synonym for "command" or "order."
Examples: "The general gave the word to attack," "She's got the word on the project."
In addition to these general definitions, "word" can also have more specialized meanings depending on the field of study or context. For example, in linguistics, a "word" might refer to a specific form of a morpheme, while in computer science, a "word" might refer to a specific number of bits processed by a computer.
It's important to consider the context in which the word "word" is used to determine its precise meaning.