What discipline focuses on the meaning of words?

The correct answer is semantics because it is the branch of linguistics that studies the meaning of words, phrases, and sentences in language. Semantics involves understanding how meaning is constructed, interpreted, and communicated, focusing specifically on the relationship between signifiers, such as words, and what they stand for in reality.

In contrast, phonetics deals with the sounds of speech and how these sounds are produced and perceived, while semiotics explores the broader implications of signs and symbols, including their meanings, context, and cultural significance. Pragmatics, on the other hand, examines how context influences the interpretation of meaning in communication, taking into account factors such as the speaker's intent and the social situation. Each of these disciplines involves aspects of language and meaning, but semantics specifically hones in on the interpretation of individual words and their meanings.