lexicography

[lek-si-kog-ruh-fee]

noun

1. the writing, editing, or compiling of dictionaries.

2. the principles and procedures involved in writing, editing, or compiling dictionaries.

lexicography

/ ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡrəfɪ, ˌlɛksɪkəˈɡræfɪk /

noun

1. the process or profession of writing or compiling dictionaries

Other Word Forms

• lexicographic adjective
• lexicographical adjective
• lexicographically adverb
• unlexicographical adjective
• lexicographer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of lexicography¹

First recorded in 1670–80; lexic(on) + -o- + -graphy

Example Sentences

Psychologist Tim Lomas created an interactive lexicography of emotion words in languages from Akkadian to Zulu, positing that expanded sentimental vocabularies enrich our inner lives.

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Webster, who corresponded with founding fathers like Benjamin Franklin and John Adams, saw lexicography as an act of patriotism.

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She had trained in translation and lexicography — the practice of compiling dictionaries — when Oxford University Press hired her in 1991 to oversee the publication of a new reference guide to Canadian English.

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One of the main goals of historical lexicography is finding antedatings, as instances that push back the earliest known use of a term are called.

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The English writer Eley Williams’s spirited first novel, “The Liar’s Dictionary,” is about lexicography.

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