lexicographies

Noun

lexicography (countable and uncountable, plural lexicographies)

1. (uncountable) The art or craft of compiling, writing, and editing dictionaries.
   • [T]here are ſeveral Species of Writing, in which a proper Degree of Hebetude is abſolutely neceſſary, as well as in other profeſſions; such as Lexicography, Index-making, and the like; [...]1735 March 4, “Craftsman, Feb. 22 [Julian calendar]. Nº 451.”, in Sylvanus Urban [pseudonym; Edward Cave], editor, The Gentleman’s Magazine, and Historical Chronicle, volume V, London: […] Edward...
2. (uncountable) The scholarly discipline of analysing and describing the semantic, syntagmatic and paradigmatic relationships within the lexicon (vocabulary) of a language and developing theories of dictionary components and structures linking the data in dictionaries.
   • But changes of this nature belong to lexicography, as they do not affect the grammatical forms of words.1828, Moses Stuart, “Changes of Consonants”, in A Grammar of the Hebrew Language, 3rd edition, Andover, Mass.: Flagg & Gould, →OCLC, part II (Changes and Peculiarities of Consonants and Verbs), §...
3. (countable) A dictionary, a lexicon, a wordbook.
   • There can be no doubt, that in a general sense a boat is a vessel, for it is "a vehicle in which men or goods are carried on the water," which is one of the definitions of a vessel given in our lexicographies; [...]1828 October, Joseph Story, Associate Judge of the Supreme Court; William P. Mason (reporter), “United States vs. an Open Boat and Lading”, in Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the Circuit...