The term that refers to the vocabulary of a language, or the words contained within that language, is lexicon.

Quick Scoop

When people talk about “all the words in a language,” they are usually talking about its lexicon , meaning the complete stock or inventory of words and word forms that belong to that language. In linguistics, the lexicon is often contrasted with grammar, which is the system of rules for combining those words into meaningful sentences.

Lexicon vs. Vocabulary

  • Lexicon
    • Refers to the full inventory of words (and often bound morphemes, like prefixes and suffixes) in a language or a specific field of knowledge.
* Used frequently in linguistic and academic contexts to describe a language’s wordstock as a whole.
  • Vocabulary
    • Often refers to the set of words known or used by a particular person, group, or text (for example, “a child’s vocabulary” or “medical vocabulary”).
* In everyday usage, “vocabulary” and “lexicon” can overlap, but “lexicon” is the more technical term for the word inventory of the language itself.

TL;DR

  • Question: “Which term refers to the vocabulary of a language, or the words contained within that language?”
  • Best answer: Lexicon.

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