Mental Lexicon

C1 8+

Pronunciation: /ˈmɛntəl ˈlɛksɪkən/

Definitions of mental lexicon

noun a person's internal mental dictionary that contains information about words and their meanings

Example Sentences

A1 My mental lexicon consists of basic vocabulary words that I use every day.

A2 As I learn more words in English, my mental lexicon expands to include new terms.

B1 Having a diverse mental lexicon is important for effective communication in a foreign language.

B2 Psycholinguists study how the mental lexicon is organized and accessed in the brain.

C1 A well-developed mental lexicon allows for quick and accurate word retrieval during conversation.

C2 The size and complexity of an individual's mental lexicon can vary greatly depending on their language exposure and experience.

Examples of mental lexicon in a Sentence

formal The mental lexicon is the storage system in our brain where we store words and their meanings.

informal I'm trying to expand my mental lexicon by learning new words every day.

slang My mental lexicon is full of all the latest slang terms and expressions.

figurative His mental lexicon was like a well-organized library, with each word neatly categorized and easily accessible.

Grammatical Forms of mental lexicon

past tense

mentally lexiconized

plural

mental lexicons

comparative

more mental lexicon

superlative

most mental lexicon

present tense

mental lexiconizes

future tense

will mental lexiconize

perfect tense

has mental lexiconized

continuous tense

is mental lexiconizing

singular

mental lexicon

positive degree

very mental lexicon

infinitive

to mental lexiconize

gerund

mental lexiconizing

participle

mentally lexiconized

Origin and Evolution of mental lexicon

First Known Use: 1970 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The term 'mental lexicon' originated from the field of psycholinguistics, which studies how language is processed in the brain.
Evolution of the word: The concept of the mental lexicon has evolved over time as research in psycholinguistics has advanced, leading to a deeper understanding of how words are stored, accessed, and processed in the mind.