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lexical

[lek-si-kuh l]
See more synonyms for lexical on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. of or relating to the words or vocabulary of a language, especially as distinguished from its grammatical and syntactical aspects.
  2. 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
Related formslex·i·cal·i·ty, nounlex·i·cal·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for lexical

Historical Examples

  • 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 grammatical and lexical treatises of Hayyuj and Ibn Janah were also translated.

  • Two lexical works have been used as basic references in this translation.

  • All of these things are held to belong to the grammar of a language and to be grammatic methods, distinct from lexical elements.

British Dictionary definitions for lexical

lexical

adjective
  1. of or relating to items of vocabulary in a language
  2. of or relating to a lexicon
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Derived Formslexicality (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

Word Origin and History for lexical

adj.

1833, from Greek lexikos "pertaining to words" (see lexicon) + -al (1). Related: Lexically.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper