Basic-Level Category

The level of a category hierarchy that is neither too general nor too specific, which people use by default to name and think about things.

• Ex: A person who sees a golden retriever says “dog,” not “animal” or “golden retriever.”
• Ex: On a shopping list, “chair” is more likely than “furniture” or “recliner.”
• Ex: Children learning to talk say “apple” before “fruit” or “Honeycrisp.”

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Last updated: October 26, 2026 at 6:51 PM