Let's understand the meaning of the term 'lexical' in the context of language study. The term 'lexical' is commonly used when discussing different aspects of language.

Understanding the Meaning of Lexical

The word 'lexical' is derived from 'lexeme', which is the basic unit of meaning in a language, roughly corresponding to a word or a set of related words (like run, running, ran). Therefore, 'lexical' primarily relates to words and their meanings.

Let's look at the options provided:

• Sound system: This relates to phonology, the study of the sounds of language. It's about how sounds are produced, perceived, and organized in a language. This is not the meaning of 'lexical'.
• Context-dependent rules and style: This relates more to pragmatics (how context affects meaning) or possibly syntax and style, depending on the specific rules. It's not the primary meaning of 'lexical'.
• Relating to the words or vocabulary of a language: This definition directly aligns with the origin and usage of the term 'lexical'. It concerns the lexicon of a language, which is its vocabulary or word stock.
• Sentences: This relates to syntax, the study of how words are combined to form phrases and sentences. While sentences are made of words, 'lexical' itself specifically pertains to the words and vocabulary, not the structure of sentences.

Based on this analysis, the meaning of 'lexical' is directly connected to the words and vocabulary of a language.