Leksikone

A leksikone is a lexical reference work that documents the vocabulary of a language or a specific field. It typically lists entries in alphabetical order and provides information such as the headword, pronunciation, part of speech, definitions, inflected forms, etymology, usage notes, and example sentences. While the term is closely related to a dictionary, a leksikone is often used to emphasize words and their meanings, forms, and relationships rather than broader topics.

The word is used in several languages to denote a lexicon or dictionary, reflecting roots in the Greek lexis meaning word and related suffixes. Leksikone-type resources have a long history, with early glossaries and word lists giving way to medieval and modern dictionaries. In contemporary use, leksikone can be general or specialized and may be monolingual or multilingual.

Content in a leksikone is organized to support finding word meanings and usage efficiently. Typical elements include headwords with senses, example phrases, cross-references, pronunciation guides or transliterations, etymology, and information on related terms such as synonyms or antonyms. Specialized leksikonow often focus on fields like medicine, law, technology, or the arts, while bilingual or multilingual versions link terms across languages.

Leksikone appear in print, digital, and app formats. Digital editions may offer hyperlinked entries, searchable corpora, frequency data, and usage examples drawn from modern texts. They serve as reference tools for language learners, translators, researchers, and lexicographers, contributing to vocabulary standardization, language preservation, and the documentation of neologisms and semantic shifts.