lexicon

[ lek-si-kon, -kuhn ]
/ ˈlɛk sɪˌkɒn, -kən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR lexicon ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural lex·i·ca [lek-si-kuh] /ˈlɛk sɪ kə/, lex·i·cons.

a wordbook or dictionary, especially of Greek, Latin, or Hebrew.
the vocabulary of a particular language, field, social class, person, etc.
inventory or record: unparalleled in the lexicon of human relations.
Linguistics.
  1. the total inventory of morphemes in a given language.
  2. the inventory of base morphemes plus their combinations with derivational morphemes.

Origin of lexicon

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin < Medieval Greek, Greek lexikón, noun use of neuter of lexikós of words, equivalent to léx(is) speech, word (see lexis) + -ikos -ic

Words nearby lexicon

lexicalize, lexicog., lexicographer, lexicography, lexicology, lexicon, lexicostatistics, lexigram, lexigraphy, lexington, lexington and concord, battle of

Words related to lexicon

dictionary, vocabulary, glossary, thesaurus, terminology, wordbook

Example sentences from the Web for lexicon

British Dictionary definitions for lexicon

lexicon
/ (ˈlɛksɪkən) /

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
linguistics the set of all the morphemes of a language

Word Origin for lexicon

C17: New Latin, from Greek lexikon, n use of lexikos relating to words, from Greek lexis word, from legein to speak