lexicographer
Lexicographers write and compile the content for dictionaries. They also determine which new words are common use and should be included in the glossary.
lexicographer lexicographers write and compile the content for dictionaries. They also determine which new words are common use and should be included in the glossary. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include practical lexicography, linguistics, spelling, grammar, copyright legislation.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £39,459 a year for Authors, writers and translators (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 3412). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only lexicographer, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Frequently asked questions
What does lexicographer do?
Lexicographers write and compile the content for dictionaries. They also determine which new words are common use and should be included in the glossary.
What skills does lexicographer need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include practical lexicography, linguistics, spelling, grammar, copyright legislation, scientific research methodology. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace lexicographer?
Our AI-durability model gives lexicographer a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.