lexis

[ lek-sis ]

nounLinguistics.

the vocabulary of a language, as distinct from its grammar; the total stock of words and idiomatic combinations of them in a language; lexicon.

Origin of lexis

1955–60; <Greek léxis speech, diction, word, text, equivalent to lég(ein) to speak, recount (akin to lógos account, word, Latin legere to read; see logos, lection) + -sis-sis

Words Nearby lexis

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use lexis in a sentence

The FBI claimed the lexis-Nexis searches cost the Times $300,000 and Lamo faced 15 years in jail for the breach.
Hackers’ Most Destructive Attacks | Brian Ries | December 11, 2010 | THE DAILY BEAST
For in the view of the Greeks the words (lexis) were an integral part of the whole composition.
The Modes of Ancient Greek Music | David Binning Monro
But there was a separate dispute far less notorious as to the quality of the lexis.
The Posthumous Works of Thomas De Quincey, Vol. II (2 vols) | Thomas De Quincey
Porson was accustomed, meanly enough, to ridicule the Greek lexis of this ode; which was to break a fly upon the wheel.
The Collected Writing of Thomas De Quincey, Vol. II | Thomas De Quincey

British Dictionary definitions for lexis

lexis

/ (ˈlɛksɪs) /

noun

the totality of vocabulary items in a language, including all forms having lexical meaning or grammatical function

Origin of lexis

C20: from Greek lexis word

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