Definition

Noun: A word that is recorded only once in a given corpus of text, language, or the entire written record of an author's work. It is a term of Greek origin used in lexicography and textual analysis to describe a word that appears a single time.

Usage

This term is used in academic contexts, particularly in linguistics, philology, and literary studies, to discuss the rarity or unique occurrence of a vocabulary item. It is a technical descriptor, not typically used in everyday conversation.

Examples

• The scholar identified the term as a hapax legomenon in the ancient manuscript, making its precise interpretation difficult.
• In the complete works of Shakespeare, the word "honorificabilitudinitatibus" is considered a hapax legomenon.
• Their analysis focused on the hapax legomena found in the poet's early writings.

Advanced Usage

• The plural form is hapax legomena.
• The concept is often discussed in relation to textual criticism, where a single occurrence can pose challenges for establishing a word's definitive meaning or for authenticating a text.

Variants and Related Words

• Nonce word: A word coined for a single occasion, which may become a hapax legomenon if it is never used again. While related, a nonce word is created intentionally for a specific context, whereas a hapax legomenon is identified by its statistical rarity in a corpus.

Synonyms

• Unique word
• Singular occurrence (in a textual context)

Different Meanings

This term has a single, specific meaning within its field of study and does not have other common definitions.

Idioms / Phrases

There are no common idioms or phrasal verbs associated with this specific technical term.

Noun

1. a word with a special meaning used for a special occasion