holophrastic
/ˌhɑləˈfræstɪk/
adjective
- Relating to a single word that expresses a whole phrase or sentence, especially in early childhood language development.
- Her holophrastic use of 'milk' clearly meant she wanted a drink, not just to name the object.
- The toddler's holophrastic speech, like saying 'up' to mean 'pick me up', is a normal stage of language learning.
- Linguists study holophrastic utterances to understand how children first combine meaning with sound.