lexical

[ lek-si-kuhl ]

/ ˈlɛk sɪ kəl /

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adjective

of or relating to the words or vocabulary of a language, especially as distinguished from its grammatical and syntactical aspects.

of, relating to, or of the nature of a lexicon.

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Origin of lexical

First recorded in 1830–40; lexic(on) + -al¹

OTHER WORDS FROM lexical

lex·i·cal·i·ty, nounlex·i·cal·ly, adverb

Words nearby lexical

Lewy bodies, lex, Lexan, Lexell, lexeme, lexical, lexical decision task, lexical insertion, lexicalize, lexical meaning, lexical order

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lexical in a sentence

Now by the late 2nd century AD, the Roman Empire was indeed surrounded by various Germanic tribes who shared some common lexical borrowings and pantheons, but many of their languages were mutually unintelligible for the most part.
Goths: Germanic Warriors Who Exposed The Roman Empire|Dattatreya Mandal|September 4, 2022|Realm of History
The Vector Space Model allows the user to query the search engine for “concepts” rather than a pure “lexical” search.
Indexing and keyword ranking techniques revisited: 20 years later|Mike Grehan|August 4, 2022|Search Engine Land
Visitors, being human, often make typos or don’t know the exact words for what they want, which means they won’t get relevant results with a lexical search engine.
How marketers can start using AI for stronger results|Hazel Raoult|February 22, 2021|Search Engine Watch
With that kind of commentary, small wonder Dan Savage decided to execute his devastating lexical takedown of the senator.
Republicans and the Culture Wars: Why It Won't Work This Year|Michelle Cottle|February 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST

All of these things are held to belong to the grammar of a language and to be grammatic methods, distinct from lexical elements.
Indian Linguistic Families Of America, North Of Mexico|John Wesley Powell
The grammatical and lexical treatises of Hayyuj and Ibn Janah were also translated.
A History of Mediaeval Jewish Philosophy|Isaac Husik
Two lexical works have been used as basic references in this translation.
Diego Collado's Grammar of the Japanese Language|Diego Collado
It is therefore important to observe that Reitzenstein's lexical parallel utterly breaks down.
The Origin of Paul's Religion|J. Gresham Machen
Thus the lexical argument of Reitzenstein breaks down at the decisive points.
The Origin of Paul's Religion|J. Gresham Machen

British Dictionary definitions for lexical

lexical

/ (ˈlɛksɪkəl) /

adjective

of or relating to items of vocabulary in a language

of or relating to a lexicon

Derived forms of lexical

lexicality (ˌlɛksɪˈkælɪtɪ), nounlexically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

lexical

Origin of lexical

OTHER WORDS FROM lexical

Words nearby lexical

Words related to lexical

How to use lexical in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lexical

Derived forms of lexical