lex·i·cal·ize [ léksik'l z ](past and past participlelex·i·cal·ized, present participlelex·i·cal·iz·ing, 3rd person present singularlex·i·cal·iz·es)
transitive and intransitive verb
Definition:
form word from existing words: to form a single word from existing words, or be formed in this way, in order to express something previously conveyed by several words or a phrase. For example, "front-runner" was lexicalized from "runner at the front of the race."
