relexicalize

English

Etymology

re- +‎ lexicalize

Verb

relexicalize (third-person singular simple present relexicalizes, present participle relexicalizing, simple past and past participle relexicalized)

1. (transitive, linguistics) To change the lexicon of; to use different words for.
   • 2013, Michael Higgins, Angela Smith, The Language of Journalism: A Multi-genre Perspective, page 71:

     For example, in British newspapers, […] the process of telling someone off or reprimanding them is relexicalized as 'rap'. To criticize strongly is to 'blast' or 'slam', and to investigate is to 'probe'.

2. (transitive, linguistics) To borrow or adopt back into a lexicon.

   to relexicalize a word

Related terms

• relexicalization