lexicon

noun lex·i·con \ ˈlek-sə-ˌkän also -kən \

Updated on: 20 Apr 2018

Definition of lexicon

plural lexica play \ˈlek-sə-kə\ or lexicons

1 : a book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language and their definitions : dictionary

a French lexicon

2 a : the vocabulary of a language, an individual speaker or group of speakers, or a subject

computer terms that have been added to the lexicon

b : the total stock of morphemes in a language

3 : repertoire, inventory

added the DVD to his video lexicon

See lexicon defined for English-language learners

See lexicon defined for kids

Examples of lexicon in a Sentence

a computer term that has entered the general lexicon
an avid word enthusiast who is compiling a lexicon of archaic and unusual words

Recent Examples of lexicon from the Web

Cultural appropriation is an academic term that’s erupted into the mainstream lexicon in recent years after an African-American woman at San Francisco State University confronted a white student with dreadlocks in 2016 and the video post went viral.

— madalyn mendoza, San Antonio Express-News, "Mexitrends apparel evokes online outrage with #WhiteGirlsWearMexican marketing campaign," 12 Apr. 2018
Apu is one of the few brown-hued characters on the long-running show's roster, a stalwart presence since season one with a catchphrase that has entered the lexicon and everything.

— joshua rivera, GQ, "Does The Simpsons Care About Its Racist Caricatures?," 9 Apr. 2018
Considering that the banana clip made an unequivocal comeback during fall fashion shows, perhaps the time has come to welcome the triangular fasteners into the present-tense lexicon, too.

— calin van paris, Vogue, "Selena Gomez Switches Up Her Bob with a Simple Stroke of Hair Genius," 26 Mar. 2018
And after watching Matthews master it, the Michigan coach wanted to denote the effort by adding it to his colorful and eccentric lexicon.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "Secret to Michigan's Final Four run? John Beilein learned to have fun," 25 Mar. 2018
But since then, Deep State has entered the public lexicon with a vengeance.

— glenn garvin, miamiherald, "What is the Deep State and is it real? | Miami Herald," 2 Feb. 2018
This is one of many personal gestures Mr. Hutchings uses that don’t have a lot to do with the broader lexicon of the jazz saxophone.

— giovanni russonello, New York Times, "With Sons of Kemet, Shabaka Hutchings Brings London Jazz Into the Spotlight," 28 Mar. 2018
To Branch and other accomplished athletes, Jiu-Jitsu is something akin to a computer programming language, a vast lexicon of physical if-then statements.

— zachary lewis, cleveland.com, "Jiu-jitsu training experiment begins with inspiring introduction and skill session: Stretching Out," 27 Mar. 2018
Somehow, LaVar’s antics have earned him a spot in the American lexicon as a cross between a WWE personality and an actual loving and caring father.

— stephen a. crockett jr., The Root, "LiAngelo Ball Declares for the NBA Draft, and We All Know This Is Going to End Badly," 27 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lexicon.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Tips on Using lexicon in a Sentence

The word lexicon has a number of closely-related meanings, which can easily lead to confusion and may cause the word to be used in an awkward way. Lexicon can refer to a general dictionary of a language (as in "a lexicon of the Hebrew language") and also to a narrower printed compilation of words within some sphere (as in "a medical lexicon" or "a lexicon of the German in Finnegans Wake").

Similarly, lexicon can refer both to the vocabulary of a specific group of people ("the lexicon of French") or to the general language used by an unspecified group of people ("a word that has not entered the general lexicon yet"). It may also often be found in reference to the vocabulary employed by a particular speaker ("'Failure' is not a word in my lexicon").