Main Entry Word (Noun)
Meaning
The form of a word that heads a lexical entry and is alphabetized in a dictionary.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.
Examples
- The dictionary listed "running" as the main entry word, with various inflected forms and derived words listed below it.
- The lexicographer chose "teach" as the main entry word for the entry that included the related words "teacher" and "teaching".
- In the thesaurus, the main entry word "big" was followed by a list of synonyms, including "large", "huge", and "enormous".
- The editor of the dictionary had to decide which form of the verb would be the main entry word, "lie" or "lay", since they were often confused with each other.
- The main entry word "cloud" was defined and illustrated with pictures in the dictionary, along with related words such as "cloudy" and "cloudless".