lexis

[ lek-sis ]

/ ˈlɛk sɪs /

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noun Linguistics.

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

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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

lexigram, lexigraphy, Lexington, Lexington and Concord, Battle of, Lexington Park, lexis, lex loci, lex non scripta, lex scripta, lex talionis, ley

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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|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

Word Origin for lexis

C20: from Greek lexis word

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