Word forms: plural schemas, plural schemata (skiːmətə)
countable noun
A schema is an outline of a plan or theory.
[formal]
...a definite position in the schema of the economic process. [+ of]
schema in British English
(ˈskiːmə)
nounWord forms: plural-mata (-mətə)
1.
a plan, diagram, or scheme
2.
(in the philosophy of Kant) a rule or principle that enables the understanding to apply its categories and unify experience
universal succession is the schema of causality
3. psychology
a mental model of aspects of the world or of the self that is structured in such a way as to facilitate the processes of cognition and perception
4. logic
an expression using metavariables that may be replaced by object language expressions to yield a well-formed formula. Thus A = A is an axiom schema for identity, representing the infinite number of axioms, x = x, y = y, z = z, etc
Word origin
C19: from Greek: form
schema in American English
(ˈskimə)
nounWord forms: pluralˈschemata (ˈskimətə)
1.
an outline, diagram, plan, or preliminary draft
2. Psychology
a mental image produced in response to a stimulus, that becomes a framework or basis for analyzing or responding to other related stimuli
Word origin
Gr schēma: see scheme
Examples of 'schema' in a sentence
schema
That was the schema with which the Yard's solicitor briefed prosecuting silk.
Hilton, John Buxton THE INNOCENTS AT HOME (A SUPERINTENDENT KENWORTHY NOVEL) (2001)
As I say, I find little evidence of any warped moral schema here.
Anthony Masters CASCADES - THE DAY OF THE DEAD (2001)