lexical order: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Formal
Quick answer
What does “lexical order” mean?
A sequence arranged according to the standard dictionary ordering of its elements (i.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A sequence arranged according to the standard dictionary ordering of its elements (i.e., based on character-by-character comparison in a defined alphabet).
More broadly, any ordering that follows a set of rules for comparing strings, names, or textual identifiers, often used as the default sorting method in computing and information systems.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant linguistic difference in usage. The term is identical in both varieties due to its technical nature.
Connotations
Purely technical, with no regional connotations.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general discourse but standard in technical contexts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “lexical order” in a Sentence
[Subject] sorts/arranges [Object] in lexical order.The list is sorted in lexical order.[Algorithm] uses lexical order for comparison.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lexical order” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The system will lexicalise the entries before sorting.
American English
- The program lexicalizes the input strings.
adverb
British English
- The names were arranged lexically.
American English
- The files are sorted lexically by default.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in IT project specifications, e.g., 'The customer list must be exported in lexical order.'
Academic
Common in computer science, linguistics, and mathematics papers discussing sorting, data structures, or formal languages.
Everyday
Virtually never used. 'Alphabetical order' is the everyday equivalent.
Technical
Primary context. Used in programming (e.g., SQL `ORDER BY`, Python `sorted()`), database management, and formal systems specification.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lexical order”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lexical order”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lexical order”
- Using 'lexical order' in everyday speech instead of 'alphabetical order'.
- Confusing it with 'chronological' or 'numerical' order.
- In programming, forgetting that lexical order for numbers treats them as strings (so '10' comes before '2').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
In practice, often yes, but 'lexical order' is a broader technical term. Alphabetical order is a specific type of lexical order using a standard alphabet. Lexical order can be defined for any character set (e.g., Unicode code points).
Primarily in computer science, programming documentation, and academic papers in linguistics or mathematics. You are unlikely to hear it in casual conversation.
As strings. For example, the numbers 10, 2, 1 sorted lexically would be ['1', '10', '2'], because '1' comes before '2' character-by-character. This is different from numerical order.
Yes. In a standard case-sensitive lexical order (like basic ASCII), uppercase letters (A-Z) come before lowercase letters (a-z). So 'Apple' would come before 'apple'. Many systems allow for case-insensitive lexical comparisons.
A sequence arranged according to the standard dictionary ordering of its elements (i.
Lexical order is usually technical/formal in register.
Lexical order: in British English it is pronounced /ˈlɛksɪk(ə)l ˈɔːdə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈlɛksɪkəl ˈɔːrdər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. The term itself is technical.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LEXICON (dictionary). LEXICAL ORDER is the ORDER words are found in that lexicon.
Conceptual Metaphor
ORDER IS SEQUENCE ON A LINE (based on character codes).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most common everyday synonym for 'lexical order'?