lexico-, lexi-, lex-, -lexia, -lexias, -lexic, -lectic, -lexis

(Greek: word or words, vocabulary; a saying, a phrase; speaking, speech)

Closely related to legi-, ligi-, lig-, lect-, -lectic (Latin: read, readable [to choose words; to gather, to collect; to pick out, to choose; to read, to recite]).

alexia (s) (noun), alexias (pl)
1. A neurologic disorder marked by loss of the ability to understand written or printed language, usually resulting from a brain lesion or a congenital defect: Alexia is also called "word blindness", "text blindness", and "visual aphasia".

In addition to the previous applicable terms for the word alexia, research has also provided us with "optical alexia", "sensory alexia", and "visual alexia"; however, it is not the same as "motor alexia" (anarthria), in which there is a loss of the power to read out loud although the significance of what is written or printed may be understood.

2. A disorder in reading ability: Alexia is differentiated from dyslexia, which is a developmental problem in reading.

Strictly speaking, lexus and its derivatives refer to speech, not reading, because they are based on the Greek verb legein, "to speak", and not on the Latin verb legere, "to read". Current usage of alexia appears to reflect an etymological error that has been accepted for so long that to insist on correcting it might be useless.

—Compiled from information located in the
Psychiatric Dictionary, 7th Ed., Robert J. Campbell, M.D.;
Oxford University Press; New York; 1996; page 30.
bradylexia (s) (noun), bradylexias (pl)
An abnormal slowness in reading: "Bradylexia might be either the result of a defect in intelligence, or of vision, or because of an ignorance of the alphabet."
cardiologists lexicomedy (s) (noun), cardiologists lexicomedies (pl)
1. A flutter of cardiologists.
2. A click of cardiologists.
3. A fibrillation of cardiologists.
daffynition, fictionary, lexicomedy (s) (noun); daffynitions, fictionaries, lexicomedies (pl)
daffynition (daf" uh NISH uhn) (noun)
A combination of "daffy" and "definition" referring to funny definitions and word play: At the very minimum, a daffynition is a humorous way to consider the meanings of words.
  • questionable: what Cain did when he was curious about what his brother Abel was so upset about.
  • outlying: where your prevaricating son is now.
  • laplander: anyone who can't keep his, or her, balance in a crowded subway.
  • gruesome: how they got their fresh vegetables.
  • groan: a fully matured person.
  • aspen: a donkey coral.
  • abdication: giving up on stomach exercises.
  • dictionary: the only place where "divorce" comes before "marriage".
  • gossip: a news source from one person based on a series of contributers.
  • jury: a panel of twelve untrained in law who are asked to render their legal decisions.
fictionary (FIK chuhn airy) (noun)
A composition of fake, or make-believe, definitions from "fiction" and the last part of "dictionary": There are those who believe that "daffynition" and fictionary are synonymous.
  • glazing: sleeping with the eyes open, a popular pastime at conferences and early-morning meetings.
  • sarchasm: The gulf between the person being sarcastic and the person who doesn't understand what it means.
  • keystroke: when only one side of the computer keyboard is working.
  • legend (leg-end): the foot or where the foot is located.
  • information (in formation): how military aircraft fly.
lexicomedy (lex" i KOM uhdi) (noun)
A source of facetious or humorous definitions or a publication that is always changing the subject on every page: Another source of off-beat definitions can be found in lexicomedy, a presentation of word play definitions.
  • diet: a form of wishful shrinking.
  • dieting: corporal downsizing.
  • dieting: life in the fast [fasting] lane.

I bought a new dictionary which was really a fictionary although it pretended to be scholarly; I laughed when I read the definition of daffynition and then wrote to my sister about dieting while she was driving her sports car "in the fast (fasting) lane".

I included a P.S. in my letter to explain the lexicomedy reference.

dictionary of lexicomedy (s) (noun), dictionaries of lexicomedies (pl)
A publication that is bound to provide humor which emphasizes linguicomedy or definitional wit: "A dictionary of lexicomedy provides examples of facetious or humorous definitions."
dictionary, glossary, lexicon, thesaurus
dictionary (DIK shuh ner" ee) (noun)
A book containing the alphabetical listing of words used in a language, providing definitions, pronunciations, etc.: She received a new English dictionary when she graduated from high school.
glossary (GLAH suh ree, GLOS uh ree) (noun)
A collection of specialized words and their meanings: There was a glossary at the end of the book to help the reader understand the text.
lexicon (LEK si kahn", LEK si kon") (noun)
Another term for "dictionary" which includes any book typically containing all the morphemes (smallest meaningful parts) of a language: The scholar sought a lexicon in the library to assist her in writing her thesis on the Gaelic language.
thesaurus (thi SAUR uhs, thi SOR uhs) (noun)
A book containing a store of words; especially, of synonyms and antonyms arranged in categories: Linda and Greg found out that there was more than one kind of thesaurus available to find logical structures and word associations.

While Jill was looking up synonyms in the thesaurus, she also consulted a new dictionary which was helpful in that it had a special glossary of specialized words which she had not seen when she reviewed the old lexicon that her friend had given to her.

dyslexia (s) (noun), dyslexias (pl)
1. Great difficulty or disruption of the ability to learn to read or to spell.
2. Difficulty in reading due to defects in the brain; specifically, word blindness.
3. An imprecise term concerning a condition in which an individual with normal vision is unable to interpret written language.

These individuals can see and recognize letters but are unable to spell and write words. Some great intellects, including Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Woodrow Wilson, and Winston Churchill, are thought to have been dyslexic.

4. Impaired reading ability with a competence level below that expected on the basis of the individual’s level of intelligence, and in the presence of apparent normal vision and letter recognition and normal recognition of the meanings of pictures and objects.

A few clarifications regarding dyslexia

Two commonly held beliefs about dyslexia are that children with it see letters or words backward, and that the problem is linked to intelligence.

Both beliefs are considered to be wrong. The problem is a linguistic one, not a visual one, in dyslexia; and dyslexia in no way stems from any lack of intelligence. People with severe dyslexia can be and have been known to be of superior intelligence.

In fact, the effects of dyslexia vary from person to person. The only shared trait among people with dyslexia is that they read at levels significantly lower than is typical for people of their ages. Dyslexia is not the same as reading retardation which may reflect mental retardation or cultural deprivation.

—Compiled from information located at
Webster's New World Medical Dictionary;
Wiley Publishing, Inc.; Hoboken, New Jersey; 2008, page 129.
dyslexic (noun), more dyslexic, most dyslexic
A reference to a special developmental disability that alters the way the brain processes written material: "The usual treatment for dyslexic individual is to modify teaching methods and the educational environment to meet the specific needs of each person."
dyslexical (adjective), more dyslexical, most dyslexical
Pertaining to the process of typing or writing letters in an abnormal arrangement than that which is meant to be: "The student's dyslexical attempts to compose a report usually were very confusing for anyone to read and to understand what the person was trying to communicate."
lexeme (s) (noun), lexemes (pl)
In linguistics, a word or stem that is a meaningful unit in a language as opposed to such a form as part of a grammatical structure: "Examples of lexemes include: find, finds, found, and finding; go, goes, went, gone, and going; do, does, did, done, and doing."
lexemic (adjective), more lexemic, most lexemic
lexical (adjective), more lexicai, most lexical
1. Pertaining to a vocabulary or a group of words of a language: "Jason made a lexical analysis of the foreign language he was studying."
2. Having the characteristics of a dictionary: "Fay was looking for special lexical entries on the internet."
lexicalize, lexicalise (British); lexicalization, lexicalisation (British)
1. To make or coin into a word or accept a new word into the lexicon of a language.
2. The creation of a single word out of existing words, usually in order to express something previously conveyed by several words or a phrase; for example, “shoplifting”.
3. The process of making a word to express a concept.
lexicograph (s) (noun), lexicographs (pl)
A written example of a single word.
lexicographer (s), lexicographers (pl) (nouns)
1. A person who writes or compiles a dictionary or dictionaries.
2. People who are involved in the compilations and productions of lexicons or dictionaries.

Related "word, words" units: etym-; legi-; locu-; logo-; onomato-; -onym; verbo-.