Techniques for detection of document similarity are provided. The computer-implemented method can comprise identifying, by an electronic device operatively coupled to a processing unit, a first pragmatic association of a first segment in a first document portion, the first pragmatic association indicating meaning of the first segment specific to a context of the first segment in the first document portion. The computer-implemented method can also comprise generating a first intermediate document portion from the first document portion by using the first pragmatic association to replace the first segment. The computer-implemented method can further comprise determining a similarity degree between the first document portion and a second document portion by comparing the first intermediate document portion with the second document portion.