lexigram

English

Etymology

lexi- +‎ -gram

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈlɛk.sɪˌɡɹæm/
• Rhymes: -ɛksɪɡɹæm
• Hyphenation: lex‧i‧gram

Noun

lexigram (plural lexigrams)

1. (psychology) A symbol that represents a word but is not necessarily indicative of the object referenced by the word, used in studies of communication.
   • 2013, Richard Gross, Being Human: Psychological and Philosophical Perspectives, Routledge, →ISBN, page 165:

     Instead of ASL, Savage-Rumbaugh used an extensive ‘lexigram’, a matrix of 256 geometrical shapes on a board. Instructors touch the symbols, which represent verbs and nouns, to create simple requests or commands.

   • 2014, Joseph J. Pear, The Science of Learning, Psychology Press, →ISBN, page 199:

     Each chimp next learned to press the lexigram corresponding to a food item that it had seen the teacher put in an opaque container.

See also

• lexigraph
• Yerkish