Standard Lemma guide

lexicalize

verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˈlɛksɪkəlaɪz/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To become part of the vocabulary of a language as a single lexical unit with a distinct meaning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To accept a term into one's own vocabulary as a distinct lexical unit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

make or coin into a word or accept a new word into the lexicon of a language

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The concept expressed by German `Gemuetlichkeit' is not lexicalized in English

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lexicalise

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: give voice, formulate, word, phrase, articulate

History

Etymology

Etymology tree English lexical Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íďďō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō)bor. Late Latin -izōder. Middle French -iserbor. Middle English -isen English -ize English lexicalize From lexical + -ize.

Across languages

Translations

12 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: lexicalitzar — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 词汇化 — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Czech: lexikalizovat — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Danish: leksikalisere — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • French: lexicaliser — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • German: lexikalisieren — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Hungarian: lexikalizál — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Polish: leksykalizować — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Polish: zleksykalizować — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Russian: лексикализо́вывать (leksikalizóvyvatʹ) — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Russian: лексикализова́ть (leksikalizovátʹ) — to convert to a single lexical unit
  • Spanish: lexicalizar — to convert to a single lexical unit