What does "lexicography" mean?
The art or craft of compiling, writing, and editing dictionaries.
Lexicography
/ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡɹəfi/ noun
noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The art or craft of compiling, writing, and editing dictionaries.
- Grammar: lexicography is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: algorithmic lexicography, computational lexicography, criticism, cryptanalysis.
- Useful contrasts: manual lexicography, nonlexicography.
- Usage evidence: He wrote a thesis on Berber lexicography.
How to use "lexicography"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lexicography" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "lexicography" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "lexicography" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lexicography" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
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- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "lexicography" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "algorithmic lexicography" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "lexicography", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The art or craft of compiling, writing, and editing dictionaries. uncountable
"[T]here are ſeveral Species of Writing, in which a proper Degree of Hebetude is abſolutely neceſſary, as well as in other profeſſions; such as Lexicography, Index-making, and the like; [...]"
- 2 the act of writing dictionaries wordnet
- 3 The scholarly discipline of analysing and describing the semantic, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relationships within the lexicon (vocabulary) of a language and developing theories of dictionary components and structures linking the data in dictionaries. uncountable
"But changes of this nature belong to lexicography, as they do not affect the grammatical forms of words."
- 4 A dictionary, a lexicon, a wordbook. countable
"There can be no doubt, that in a general sense a boat is a vessel, for it is "a vehicle in which men or goods are carried on the water," which is one of the definitions of a vessel given in our lexicographies; [...]"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
manual lexicographynonlexicography
Example
"He wrote a thesis on Berber lexicography."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lexicography"?
Common synonyms include: algorithmic lexicography, computational lexicography, criticism, cryptanalysis, cryptography, cryptology.
How do you use "lexicography" in a sentence?
He wrote a thesis on Berber lexicography.
How do you pronounce "lexicography"?
Pronounced /ˌlɛksɪˈkɒɡɹəfi/.
Etymology
From lexico- (prefix meaning ‘speech; words’) + -graphy (suffix meaning ‘something written about a specified subject’).