lexicographically

[ lek-si-koh-graf-ik-lee, -si-kuh- ]

adverb

1. in a way that relates to dictionaries, or to the writing, editing, or compiling of dictionaries:

   Lexicographically comparable to the OED, this Chinese dictionary traces usage over three millennia from Chinese classic texts to modern slang.

2. sorted in a way that uses an algorithm based on the alphabetical order used in dictionaries:

   The addresses will be lexicographically rather than numerically ordered.

   Dates formatted to ISO standards sort both lexicographically and chronologically.

Other Words From

• un·lex·i·co·graph·i·cal·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of lexicographically¹

lexicograph(y) ( def ) + -ical ( def ) + -ly