What does "lexicon" mean?
The vocabulary of a language.
Lexicon
/ˈlɛk.sɪ.kɒn/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The vocabulary of a language.
- Grammar: lexicon is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: dictionary, vocabulary, academic terminology, academic vocabulary.
- Useful contrasts: ignorance, unfamiliarity, wordlessness.
- Usage evidence: The verb "to downdate" does not exist in the English lexicon, but let's go ahead and coin it anyway.
How to use "lexicon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "lexicon" 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 "lexicon" 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 "lexicon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "lexicon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- 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 "lexicon" is acting as noun, verb 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 "dictionary" 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 "lexicon", 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 vocabulary of a language.
"Formalism seeks to correct this deficiency by translating verbal texts into formal, mathematizable lexicons which are then manipulated into general propositions."
- 2 a language user's knowledge of words wordnet
- 3 A dictionary that includes or focuses on lexemes.
"Sluiter examines a tension inherent in such scholarly works as lexica, scholia, epitomai, and commentaries: although the very titles of these works claim no more than secondary status, their authors engage nonetheless in a rhetoric of self-legitimation."
- 4 a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them wordnet
- 5 A dictionary of Classical Greek, Hebrew, Latin, or Aramaic.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 The lexicology of a programming language. (Usually called lexical structure.)
- 7 Any dictionary. rare
- 8 The vocabulary used by or known to an individual. (Also called lexical knowledge.)
- 9 A set of vocabulary specific to a certain subject.
"the baseball lexicon"
- 10 A set of vocabulary specific to a certain subject.; A list thereof.
"a baseball lexicon"
Verb
- 1 To add to a lexicon. transitive
"Vocab-wise, medalling and PB-ing are now totally part-and-parcelled, and most experts in South Korea believe podiumed, finalled and all-comered are not far off lexiconing."
- 2 To shorten a soundtrack to fit a shortened version of a movie.
"Mrazek’s legislation would discourage time compression, a technique used to speed up a movie, and “lexiconing,” a process of altering the soundtrack to match the shorter, compressed version."
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"The verb "to downdate" does not exist in the English lexicon, but let's go ahead and coin it anyway."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "lexicon"?
Common synonyms include: dictionary, vocabulary, academic terminology, academic vocabulary, administrative term, alphabetical list.
How do you use "lexicon" in a sentence?
The verb "to downdate" does not exist in the English lexicon, but let's go ahead and coin it anyway.
How do you pronounce "lexicon"?
Pronounced /ˈlɛk.sɪ.kɒn/.
Etymology
Through Middle French or directly from New Latin lexicon, from Byzantine Greek λεξικόν (lexikón, “a lexicon, a dictionary”), ellipsis from Ancient Greek λεξικὸν βιβλίον (lexikòn biblíon, literally “a book of words”), from λεξικός (lexikós, “of words”), from λέξις (léxis, “a saying, speech, word”), from λέγω (légō, “to speak”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- (“to gather, collect”). Attested at least since 1583 (in William Fulke's A Defense of the Sincere and True Translations of the Holy Scriptures into the English tongue) in the sense 'a dictionary of a classical language'.