Lexeme vs. Lexicon — What's the Difference?
By Urooj Arif & Maham Liaqat — Updated on March 13, 2024
Lexeme refers to the fundamental unit of lexical meaning, a single word in various forms, while lexicon encompasses the complete set of words in a language or for a specific individual.
Difference Between Lexeme and Lexicon
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A lexeme acts as a base unit in linguistic analysis, representing a set of words that differ only in inflection and not in meaning or function. For example, "run," "runs," and "running" are all forms of the same lexeme. On the other hand, a lexicon is a broader concept, referring to the entire vocabulary of a language or the vocabulary that a particular individual knows. It includes all lexemes and their forms, along with their meanings and usages.
Lexemes are abstract units that do not change. They are the core from which different word forms are derived. For instance, the lexeme "run" remains the same regardless of whether it's used in the present, past, or continuous tense. In contrast, a lexicon is dynamic and can grow or change as new words are added to a language or as an individual learns new words.
Understanding lexemes is crucial for linguistic analysis and language learning, as it helps in recognizing the base form of words. This recognition aids in grasping the rules of word formation and usage in a language. Conversely, understanding one's lexicon or a language's lexicon is essential for effective communication and comprehension, as it encompasses not just the base forms but also the nuanced meanings and usage contexts of words.
In computational linguistics and natural language processing, lexemes are often used as the input for creating lexical databases and for morphological analysis. These applications focus on understanding the structure of words and their relationships within a language. The lexicon, however, is used to build comprehensive dictionaries and language models that support language understanding, generation, and translation tasks.
While lexemes provide a foundation for morphology—the study of word forms and structure—the lexicon is more related to semantics, the study of meaning. This distinction highlights how each concept plays a different role in linguistics and language studies, with lexemes focusing on form and lexicon on content.
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Comparison Chart
Definition
A basic unit of meaning, representing a word in all its forms.
The entire set of words in a language or known by an individual.
Role in Linguistics
Central to morphology and the study of word formation.
Important for semantics and the study of word meanings and usage.
Change over Time
Does not change; remains the same across different word forms.
Dynamic; can grow or change as new words are added or meanings evolve.
Application
Used in linguistic analysis and language learning.
Used to compile dictionaries and for comprehensive language understanding.
Focus
On the structural aspect of words.
On the vocabulary and semantic aspect of language.
Compare with Definitions
Lexeme
A fundamental unit of lexical meaning.
Write, writes, writing, and written are forms of the same lexeme.
Lexicon
Dynamic and evolving with language use.
The lexicon expands as new technologies emerge, introducing terms like blog and tweet.
Lexeme
Basis for word formation analysis.
Understanding lexeme go helps in grasping its forms goes, going, and gone.
Lexicon
Essential for effective communication.
A rich lexicon enables precise and nuanced expression.
Lexeme
Independent of grammatical tense.
Eat is a lexeme for eats, eating, and ate.
Lexicon
Encompasses words and their meanings.
A medical lexicon includes terms like stethoscope and anesthesia.
Lexeme
Abstract and unchangeable in morphology.
The lexeme run underlies ran and running.
Lexicon
A complete set of words in a language or known by a person.
An English speaker's lexicon includes thousands of words.
Lexeme
Crucial for linguistic study.
Analyzing the lexeme play reveals its usage across different contexts.
Lexicon
Basis for dictionaries and language models.
Compiling a lexicon is the first step in creating a comprehensive dictionary.
Lexeme
A lexeme ( (listen)) is a unit of lexical meaning that underlies a set of words that are related through inflection. It is a basic abstract unit of meaning, a unit of morphological analysis in linguistics that roughly corresponds to a set of forms taken by a single root word.
Lexicon
A lexicon is the vocabulary of a language or branch of knowledge (such as nautical or medical). In linguistics, a lexicon is a language's inventory of lexemes.
Lexeme
The fundamental unit of the lexicon of a language. Find, finds, found, and finding are forms of the English lexeme find.
Lexicon
A dictionary.
Lexeme
(linguistics) A lexical item corresponding to the set of all words (or of all multi-word expressions) that are semantically related through inflection of a particular shared basic form.
Lexicon
A stock of terms used in a particular profession, subject, or style; a vocabulary
The lexicon of surrealist art.
Lexeme
(strictly) The abstract minimum unit of language or meaning that underlies such a set.
Lexicon
The vocabulary of an individual person
“A few of the women tittered, whether in response to the fluctuating octaves of my voice or the awkwardness of my lexicon” (Elisabeth Brink).
Lexeme
(loosely) The set itself; a lexemic family.
Lexicon
(Linguistics) The morphemes of a language considered as a group.
Lexeme
(loosely) The word-form chosen to represent such a set or family.
Lexicon
The vocabulary of a language.
Lexeme
(computing) An individual instance of a continuous character sequence without spaces, used in lexical analysis (see token).
Lexicon
A dictionary that includes or focuses on lexemes.
Lexeme
A minimal unit (as a word or stem) in the lexicon of a language; `go' and `went' and `gone' and `going' are all members of the English lexeme `go'
Lexicon
A dictionary of Classical Greek, Hebrew, Latin, or Aramaic.
Lexicon
(programming) The lexicology of a programming language. (Usually called lexical structure.)
Lexicon
(rare) Any dictionary.
Lexicon
The vocabulary used by or known to an individual. (Also called lexical knowledge.)
Lexicon
A set of vocabulary specific to a certain subject.
The baseball lexicon
Lexicon
A list thereof.
A baseball lexicon
Lexicon
A vocabulary, or book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language or of a considerable number of them, with the definition of each; a dictionary; especially, a dictionary of the Greek, Hebrew, or Latin language.
Lexicon
A language user's knowledge of words
Lexicon
A reference book containing an alphabetical list of words with information about them
Common Curiosities
How do lexemes differ from words?
Lexemes are the abstract bases from which words are derived, focusing on the core meaning, while words are the specific instances of these lexemes in use.
What does lexicon mean?
A lexicon is the complete set of words in a language or known by an individual, including their meanings and usages.
What is the relationship between lexemes and grammar?
Lexemes relate to morphology, the study of word formation and structure, while grammar encompasses a broader range of language rules, including syntax and semantics.
How do lexemes and lexicons interact?
Lexemes are the building blocks of a lexicon, with each lexeme contributing its forms and meanings to the overall vocabulary.
Can the lexicon of a language change?
Yes, a language's lexicon is dynamic and evolves as new words are added, meanings change, or words fall out of use.
How are new lexemes created?
New lexemes are often created through processes like borrowing from other languages, compounding, or derivation.
Is the lexicon the same as a dictionary?
The lexicon of a language forms the basis of a dictionary, but a dictionary is a more structured and annotated representation of a lexicon.
Why are lexemes important in linguistics?
Lexemes are crucial for understanding the structure and formation of words, aiding in linguistic analysis and language learning.
How does one's lexicon grow?
An individual's lexicon grows through language acquisition, education, and exposure to new contexts and vocabularies.
What is a lexeme?
A lexeme is the abstract unit of meaning in linguistics, representing a word in all its forms.
Can a single lexeme have multiple meanings?
Yes, a lexeme can have multiple meanings or senses, depending on context, but it's represented by the same set of word forms.
What is the difference between a personal lexicon and a language's lexicon?
A personal lexicon is the set of words known and used by an individual, while a language's lexicon includes all the words and meanings recognized in that language.
How does a lexicon influence communication?
A rich lexicon enables precise and nuanced communication, while a limited lexicon can hinder expression and understanding.
What role do lexicons play in language learning?
Lexicons are crucial for language learning, as understanding and expanding one's lexicon is key to mastering a language.
Are technical terms part of a lexicon?
Yes, technical terms, specific to fields like medicine or engineering, are part of the specialized lexicons within a language's overall vocabulary.
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Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
