What type of semantic change involves the expansion of a word's meaning to include more contexts?

Broadening refers to the phenomenon where the meaning of a word becomes more inclusive over time, allowing it to apply to a wider range of contexts and situations. An example of broadening is the word "holiday," which originally referred specifically to a holy day but has expanded to encompass any day of leisure or celebration. This type of semantic change illustrates how language evolves as cultural contexts shift, leading to a more generalized understanding of specific terms.

In contrast to broadening, connotation involves the emotional or associative implications a word carries beyond its literal meaning, rather than expanding the word's range of application. Derivation involves the creation of new words through affixes, focusing more on word formation rather than meaning change. Compounding concerns the combining of two or more words to create a new word, rather than altering the meaning of an existing one.