Abstract
A theory of the lexicographic definition must be founded on three parameters: (1) a taxonomy of explanatory paraphrases, (2) a syntactic pattern, and (3) a semantic model. This paper deals with the third parameter. First, we will concisely present three theoretical models –the truth-conditional semantics, the componential analysis, and the prototype theory. Additionally, we will analyze the definitions provided by Spanish dictionaries in order to: (a) evaluate the contributions of each theoretical model to the clarification of the meaning of lexical units, and (b) determine its limitations regarding the formulation of the explanatory paraphrases. Although only Spanish dictionaries were analyzed, the results of this study can also be applied to other lexicographical traditions.
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