paralexicon
Syllables: para·lex·i·con/pæɹəˈlɛksɪkɒn/
paralexicon noun: a parallel set of vocabulary within a language, e.g. a formal register, ritual language or secret cant, code switching.
Noun
paralexicon (plural paralexica)
- A parallel set of vocabulary within a language, e.g. a formal register, ritual language or secret cant, code switching
- A frequent function of the paralexicon is secrecy. […] Sometimes the paralexicon is acquired during childhood as a first language, Ma'a [a paralexicon of Mbugu] for example. In many cases it is acquired later, such as registers of respect, initiation languages and languages created by adolescents.
Forms of paralexicon
| plural | paralexica |
|---|
Origin of paralexicon
* para- + lexicon
Words formed from paralexicon
- paralexical
- paralexification
Questions about paralexicon
- What does paralexicon mean?
- Paralexicon means a parallel set of vocabulary within a language, e.g. a formal register, ritual language or secret cant, code switching.
- What part of speech is paralexicon?
- Paralexicon is a noun.
- How do you pronounce paralexicon?
- Paralexicon is pronounced /pæɹəˈlɛksɪkɒn/.
- What is the plural of paralexicon?
- The plural of paralexicon is paralexica.
Words near paralexicon in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: paralexicon (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
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Cite this entry: “paralexicon.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/paralexicon. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.