Definition of LEXIS

lexis

Plural: lexeis, lexes, lexises

Noun

  • The total vocabulary of a language, or of a particular speaker.
  • all of the words in a language; all word forms having meaning or grammatical function
  • The set of all words and phrases in a language; any unified subset of words from a particular language.
  • Words, collocations, and common phrases in a language; vocabulary and word combinations.
  • The vocabulary used by a writer.

Examples

  • In this broadsheet newspaper, the reporter uses a complicated and formal lexis which I find hard to understand.
  • Mastering the entire lexis of allowable Scrabble words is a monumental task.

Origin / Etymology

Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek λέξις (léxis, “speech, word”).

Scrabble Score: 12

lexis: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
lexis: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
lexis: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

lexis: valid Words With Friends Word