lexicon
Americannoun
plural
lexica, lexicons-
a wordbook or dictionary, especially of Greek, Latin, or Hebrew.
- Synonyms:
- concordance, gloss, thesaurus, glossary
-
the vocabulary of a particular language, field, social class, person, etc.
-
inventory or record.
unparalleled in the lexicon of human relations.
-
Linguistics.
-
the total inventory of morphemes in a given language.
-
the inventory of base morphemes plus their combinations with derivational morphemes.
-
noun
-
a dictionary, esp one of an ancient language such as Greek or Hebrew
-
a list of terms relating to a particular subject
-
the vocabulary of a language or of an individual
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linguistics the set of all the morphemes of a language
Etymology
Origin of lexicon
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Modern Latin, from Medieval Greek, Greek lexikòn (biblíon) “word (book),” from lexikón neuter of adjective lexikós “of or pertaining to words” + biblíon “book”; lexis -ic; Bible ( def. )
Explanation
A lexicon is the vocabulary of a language or subject. "No-hitter," "go-ahead run," and "Baltimore chop" are part of the baseball lexicon. Lexicons are really dictionaries, though a lexicon usually covers an ancient language or the special vocabulary of a particular author or field of study. In linguistics, the lexicon is the total stock of words and word elements that carry meaning. Lexicon is from Greek lexikon (biblion) meaning "word(book)," ultimately going back to legein, "to speak."
Vocabulary lists containing lexicon
100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Dictionary Words: Lexicography Lingo
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "J," "K," and "L"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Drawing on contemporary color standards and systems such as Munsell’s, he set out to do something deceptively difficult: translate the scientific lexicon into terms everyday readers could understand.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
On Friday, however, he made noise in a different sphere by placing an obscure financial term into the political lexicon: “Uninvestible.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2026
The term quickly spread beyond the ranks of the police officers who coined it, with “Black Friday” entering the lexicon in the early 1960s.
From Barron's • Nov. 28, 2025
Anthropologist Peter W. Wood wrote about the origin of the term in the aftermath of those events, underscoring why a century-old concept had reentered the lexicon at that particular moment.
From Salon • Nov. 8, 2025
“A stunning blow from the big Greek lexicon, which an old fellow in a black gown fired at him,” said Ned.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.