vocabulary

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *wekʷ-der. Proto-Indo-European *wokʷ-der. Latin voc(ā) Proto-Indo-European *-dʰlomder. Latin -bulum Latin vocābulum Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzijos Latin -ārius Latin -ārium Medieval Latin vocābulāriumlbor. English vocabulary Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin vocābulārium. Doublet of vocabularium.

1. A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning.
2. The collection of words a person knows and uses.

   “My Russian vocabulary is very limited.”

3. The stock of words used in a particular field.

   “The vocabulary of social sciences is often incomprehensible to ordinary people.”

4. The words of a language collectively; lexis.

   “The vocabulary of any language is influenced by contacts with other cultures.”

   “Vocabulary provides a foundation from which grammar, phonology, and morphology emerge, and in a subject area it provides access to conceptual knowledge. Vocabulary selection for pedagogical purposes is therefore crucial.”

5. A range of artistic or stylistic forms or techniques.