colexification

English

Etymology

co- +‎ lexification

Noun

colexification (plural colexifications)

1. The linguistic pattern whereby multiple meanings can be expressed by the same word
   • 2022 June 9, Alexandre François, “Lexical tectonics: Mapping structural change in patterns of lexification”, in Zeitschrift für Sprachwissenschaft‎^[1], page 95:

     Languages may be compared in their patterns of colexification – that is, their ability to encode two distinct senses using the same lexeme.

Synonyms

• polysemy

Related terms

• colexify