LEXICAL ANALYSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Lexical analysis, also known as lexical scanning or tokenization, is a fundamental process in computer science and linguistics that involves analyzing the structure and syntax of a sequence of characters or symbols within a given language or programming code. It is a crucial initial step in the compilation process of programming languages and plays a vital role in natural language processing.
The main goal of lexical analysis is to break down a string of characters, usually in the form of source code or written text, into a series of meaningful units called tokens. These tokens can represent various elements such as keywords, identifiers, operators, symbols, or literals, which serve as the building blocks for further analysis and interpretation.
During lexical analysis, a lexical analyzer (also known as a lexer or scanner) examines the input string and identifies tokens based on predefined patterns or regular expressions. It skips irrelevant characters like whitespace or comments and focuses on meaningful units that contribute to the overall structure and meaning of the code or text.
After extracting the tokens, the resulting sequence is often passed to the next stage of processing, such as syntax analysis or semantic analysis, where the relationships and meanings between the tokens are further analyzed and understood. This organized breakdown of input into tokens allows for easier interpretation and manipulation of code or text, enabling successful compilation or processing of computer programs and linguistic analysis.
Common Misspellings for LEXICAL ANALYSIS
- kexical analysis
- pexical analysis
- oexical analysis
- lwxical analysis
- lsxical analysis
- ldxical analysis
- lrxical analysis
- l4xical analysis
- l3xical analysis
- lezical analysis
- lecical analysis
- ledical analysis
- lesical analysis
- lexucal analysis
- lexjcal analysis
- lexkcal analysis
- lexocal analysis
- lex9cal analysis
- lex8cal analysis
- lexixal analysis
Etymology of LEXICAL ANALYSIS
The word "lexical" originates from the Greek word "lexis", meaning "word" or "speech", and the word "analysis" comes from the Greek word "analyein", meaning "to unloose" or "to dissect". When combined, "lexical analysis" refers to the process of breaking down a sequence of characters or words into meaningful units (tokens) to be further interpreted in computational linguistics and computer science.
