Referential meaning (sometimes called denotative meaning) is widely believed to be the central meaning of words. It is comparatively more stable and universal. The word woman refers to female human adult. This kind of meaning of the word has not changed and will not change. But other meanings which are parasitic to its referential meaning may vary from one historical period to another. Presumably, in all languages there is a word that denotes womanhood. But due to different social roles of women in different cultures, other meanings associated with the referential meaning (female human adult) vary in different languages. In a matriarchy society people must have different conceptions of woman than in a patriarchy society.

　 Associative meanings are meanings that hinge on referential meaning. In contrast to referential meaning, they are less stable and more culture-specific. For example, although the referential meaning of the word king has not changed in English, English people today have different conceptions of the king than before. The English word pig may have the same referent as its equivalent in a language of Islamic culture. Yet, the associative meanings are totally different.