What does lexicon mean?
A lexicon is a dictionary, word list, or organized body of vocabulary. The term is often used for specialized collections of words, such as the terminology of a text, historical period, profession, language community, or research field. Its meaning can also be broader: in linguistics, a lexicon may describe the words and word forms that speakers recognize or actively use. Outside specialized disciplines, “lexicon” generally sounds more scholarly than “dictionary” or “vocabulary,” although its precise distinction from those terms depends on context. A bilingual lexicon, for example, may arrange equivalent words from two languages, while an active lexicon refers to words readily available for use and a passive lexicon to words that are recognized but less readily produced. The word is useful whenever precision is needed about the words belonging to a language, text, speaker, or technical system.
nounA lexicon is a dictionary or an alphabetical list of words, especially one containing the vocabulary of a particular language, subject, or text. In specialized contexts, it can also mean the total vocabulary associated with a person, group, or field.
- An alphabetical list or dictionary of words and their meanings.
- The vocabulary of a language, text, person, group, or specialized field.
- In linguistics, the collection of words or word forms recognized by a speaker.
- A vocabulary associated with a particular activity, context, or system.
"The scholar compiled a lexicon of the technical terms used in medieval manuscripts."
"The dictionary is intended as a practical lexicon for students."
"Researchers compared the lexical resources of the two communities by examining their active and passive lexicons."
The plural is used for separate dictionaries or specialized word collections.
"The researchers published separate lexicons for the two dialects."
The word lexicon literally means “word book”: it comes from a Greek term for a collection of words.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of lexicon
The word comes through Latin from Greek lexikon, a “word book,” from the root lexikos, meaning “of words” or “word.” In ancient Greek, lexikon was associated with collecting or explaining words, while the related English word “lexicography” later came to mean the practice of compiling dictionaries.
How lexicon is actually used
In general use, “lexicon” is more formal and scholarly than “dictionary” or “word list.” In linguistics and related fields, it may refer specifically to a speaker’s stored vocabulary or to the set of forms recognized by a language system.