lexicalisation
/ˌlɛksɪkəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
noun
- The process of turning a concept or phrase into a single word or fixed expression that is stored in the vocabulary of a language.
- The lexicalisation of technical terms like 'smartphone' shows how new concepts become part of everyday vocabulary.
- The lexicalisation of 'to go on foot' into the single word 'walk' is an example of how languages simplify expressions.
- In English, the phrase 'look after' has undergone lexicalisation to become a fixed phrasal verb with a specific meaning.