What is the difference between lexeme and lemma?

Definitions

lexeme

- Referring to a unit of meaning in a language that can stand alone as a word or be part of a larger word.

- Talking about a basic unit of vocabulary that carries meaning and can be inflected or modified.

- Describing a word form that has a specific meaning and is listed in a dictionary.

lemma

- Referring to the base or dictionary form of a word, without any inflection or modification.

- Talking about the canonical or citation form of a word that represents its meaning.

- Describing a word that serves as a representative of a group of related words with similar meanings.

List of Similarities

• 1. Both are linguistic terms used to describe words in a language.
• 2. Both refer to units of meaning that can be used to convey information.
• 3. Both are used in the field of lexicography and computational linguistics.
• 4. Both are related to the concept of word forms and their meanings.

What is the difference?

• 1. Definition: Lexeme refers to a unit of meaning that can stand alone or be part of a larger word, while lemma refers to the base or dictionary form of a word.
• 2. Usage: Lexeme is used to describe a word form that has a specific meaning and is listed in a dictionary, while lemma is used to represent a group of related words with similar meanings.
• 3. Inflection: Lexeme can be inflected or modified to create different word forms, while lemma is not inflected and remains constant.
• 4. Representation: Lexeme represents a specific word form, while lemma represents a group of related words.
• 5. Application: Lexeme is used in morphology and syntax analysis, while lemma is used in natural language processing and machine learning applications.

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Remember this!

Lexeme and lemma are both linguistic terms used to describe words in a language. However, the difference between them lies in their definition, usage, inflection, representation, and application. A lexeme is a unit of meaning that can stand alone or be part of a larger word, while a lemma is the base or dictionary form of a word that represents a group of related words with similar meanings.