What is a major entry in a lexical database?

A major entry is a unit in a lexical database representing a lexeme with its phonological, semantic, grammatical, and anthropological information (where lexically relevant and available).

Insert the following types of lexemes as major entries:

• Morphemes
• Letters of the alphabet
• Loan words or phrases
• Proper names

• Pronunciation
• Part of speech
• Meaning
• Illustrative sentences
• Notes on usage
• Grammatical information
• Related subentries
• Related minor entries

Click the following jumps to see examples of major entries in the lexical database:

• Data Entry view
• Major entry in Publication view

Context for this page:

• Concept module: major entry in a lexical database
• In overview module: Glossary (Linguistics): M
• In modular book: Glossary of linguistic terms, by Eugene E. Loos (general editor), Susan Anderson (editor), Dwight H., Day, Jr. (editor), Paul C. Jordan (editor), and J. Douglas Wingate (editor)
• In bookshelf: Linguistics

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 5.0 published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 2003. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 25 January 1999

© 2004 SIL International