verb (used with object), lex·i·cal·ized, lex·i·cal·iz·ing. Linguistics. 1.to convert (an affix, a phrase, etc.) into a
lexical item, as in using the
suffix -ism as the
noun ism. 2.to represent (a
set of semantic features) by a
lexical item.
Also, especially British, lex·i·cal·ise.
Related forms lex·i·cal·i·za·tion, noun