lexical unit
A "lexical unit" is a key concept in linguistics and semantics, representing the basic building blocks of meaning in a language.
🇺🇸 US Voice:
🇬🇧 UK Voice:
Definition
C1Linguistics
(technical, academic)A word or a fixed combination of words that functions as a single meaning-bearing entity.
Example
- The phrase 'kick the bucket' is a lexical unit meaning 'to die'.
C1Semantics
(technical, academic)The smallest unit of meaning, encompassing words, phrases, or idioms that convey a specific concept.
Example
- In the sentence 'She gave up', 'gave up' is a lexical unit meaning 'to quit'.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "lexical unit":