Semantic similarity across languages reflects neurocognitive dimensions shaped by climate

Abstract Human languages differ widely, yet they share systematic regularities in the underlying semantic representations being expressed. How such similarities and differences arise remains unclear, in part because semantic theories often lack a principled link to neurocognitive constraints. Drawing on neurocognitive accounts in which semantic knowledge is grounded in biologically salient information dimensions, we examine how environmental factors shape conceptual representations in language. Here we show that word meanings across languages are organized along shared neurocognitive dimensions, while systematic variation along these dimensions is associated with climate. Using word embeddings from 53 languages and behavioral ratings from speakers of 8 languages, we find converging evidence that climatic variables explain semantic variation beyond commonly considered sociocultural factors. Complementary exploratory brain data further suggest climate-related modulation of activity patterns in the right anterior temporal lobe. Together, these findings indicate that semantic representations in language reflect biologically grounded dimensions that are flexibly shaped by long-term environmental conditions.