create a neologism

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "create a neologism" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing the invention of a new word or expression that is not yet part of the standard language. Example: "In her latest novel, the author decided to create a neologism to describe a new concept in her fictional world."

✓ Grammatically correct

Music

Language

Lexicography

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

You can either go for something that hasn't been used before, create a neologism or go long.

The Guardian - Music

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

When with-it users of language need a word to describe a suddenly increasing activity, we either create a new one — a neologism like blog, a borrowing like au courant — or we dust off a somewhat-related old word and give it a whole new meaning.

The New York Times - Magazine

Read one of these additional articles, and then write a similar article focusing on one of the words or phrases that you explored in the class activity or created as a neologism.

The New York Times

Cicero introduced the Romans to the chief schools of Greek philosophy and created a Latin philosophical vocabulary (with neologisms such as "evidentia", "humanitas", "qualitas", "quantitas", and "essentia") distinguishing himself as a translator and philosopher.

Yale University

And then there's another neologism ending in "-punk": Some authors are creating a new genre called "Solarpunk" that aims to tell optimistic stories, specifically about using technological and scientific innovation to help the environment.

The Washington Post

Not much about Palin surprises me, but I confess I am puzzled that so many people seem surprised by her free-association speaking style and her tendency to mangle language and create the memorable neologism.

Los Angeles Times

Like that of its neighbour Algeria, Libya's very name is a neologism, created by the conquering Italians early in the 20th century.

Britannica

And it all starts with the lowly bit, a neologism created in 1946 by Princeton statistician John Tukey working at Bell Labs on early computer design.

Johns Hopkins University

The Global Language Monitor (GLM), based in Austin, calculated that a neologism is created on average every 98 minutes and that "Web 2.0", a term for the next generation of internet applications, should be formally crowned the millionth word.

The Guardian - Books

You will also be able to create neologisms, or new words based on existing definitions.

WikiHow

This approach is based on the idea that a considerable amount of medical terms can be created as neologisms [ 32], that is, new words and meanings can be created by the concatenation of existing morphosemantic units.

BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the newly created word does not have unintended offensive meanings.

Common error

Avoid creating excessively complex or convoluted neologisms. Simplicity and ease of understanding are key to a neologism's successful adoption. Complex words are harder to remember and integrate into common language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "create a neologism" functions as a verb phrase followed by a noun, indicating the action of inventing a new word or expression. Ludwig's examples demonstrate its use in describing the deliberate invention of new terms, often for specific purposes.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Academia

21%

Science

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "create a neologism" refers to the act of inventing a new word or expression. Ludwig AI validates its grammatical correctness and highlights its use in contexts concerning music, language, and lexicography. Though not particularly common, the phrase is generally neutral and carries a formal tone. Alternatives such as "coin a new term" or "invent a new word" provide similar meanings. When creating neologisms, clarity and relevance are key to successful adoption.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Coin a new term

Focuses on the act of inventing a new word or phrase, similar to creating a neologism.

Invent a new word

Directly refers to the invention of a novel word, mirroring the core meaning.

Form a new word

Highlights the process of forming or constructing a new word.

Develop a new term

Suggests a more gradual development of a new term.

Introduce a neologism

Emphasizes the act of bringing a new word into use.

Originate a new word

Focuses on being the source or origin of a new word.

Concoct a new term

Implies inventing a new term in a creative or perhaps whimsical way.

Design a new word

Suggests a more deliberate and planned creation of a new word.

Fashion a new term

Implies crafting a new term with care and attention.

Devise a new word

Suggests inventing a new word through careful thought and planning.

FAQs

How can I use "create a neologism" in a sentence?

You can use "create a neologism" to describe the process of inventing a new word. For example: "In linguistics, researchers often "create a neologism" to describe emerging concepts".

What is another way to say "create a neologism"?

Alternatives include "coin a new term", "invent a new word", or "form a new word".

What makes a good neologism?

A good neologism is typically easy to understand, relevant to the concept it describes, and relatively short. It should also be distinct from existing words to avoid confusion.

Is it common to "create a neologism"?

While not an everyday occurrence, linguists, writers, and innovators "create a neologism" when existing language lacks a suitable term for a new concept or phenomenon.