lexicology

American  

[lek-si-kol-uh-jee] / ˌlɛk sɪˈkɒl ə dʒi /

noun

1. the study of the formation, meaning, and use of words and of idiomatic combinations of words.

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lexicology British  

/ ˌlɛksɪˈkɒlədʒɪ, ˌlɛksɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

noun

1. the study of the overall structure and history of the vocabulary of a language

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Other Word Forms

• lexicologic adjective
• lexicological adjective
• lexicologically adverb
• lexicologist noun

Etymology

Origin of lexicology

First recorded in 1820–30; lexic(on) + -o- + -logy

Example Sentences

Some have talked of “culturomics”, a form of computational lexicology that uses corpus tools to analyse and forecast trends in human behaviour.

From The Guardian • Feb. 23, 2018

This book is not just his own first essay into the subject, but also the first attempt at slang lexicology since John Camden Hotten’s comprehensive history and explanation of slang appeared in 1859.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2012

He was a profound scholar in Greek and Hebrew lexicology, and gave what was once his country house and garden in old Chelsea Village to the theological seminary of his professorship.

From People of the Whirlpool by Wright, Mabel Osgood

Lexicog′raphist, Lexicol′ogist, one skilled in lexicology; Lexicog′raphy, the art of compiling a dictionary; Lexicol′ogy, that branch of philology which treats of the proper signification and use of words.—adjs.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various