The　quantitative　diagnosis　of　rolling　bearing　fault　severity　is　particularly　crucial　to　realize　a　proper　maintenance　decision.　Aiming　at　the　fault　feature　of　rolling　bearing,　a　novel　double-dictionary　matching　pursuit　(DDMP)　for　fault　extent　evaluation　of　rolling　bearing　based　on　the　Lempel-Ziv　complexity　(LZC)　index　is　proposed　in　this　paper.　In　order　to　match　the　features　of　rolling　bearing　fault,　the　impulse　time-frequency　dictionary　and　modulation　dictionary　are　constructed　to　form　the　double-dictionary　by　using　the　method　of　parameterized　function　model.　Then　a　novel　matching　pursuit　method　is　proposed　based　on　the　new　double-dictionary.　For　rolling　bearing　vibration　signals　with　different　fault　sizes,　the　signals　are　decomposed　and　reconstructed　by　the　DDMP.　After　the　noise　reduced　and　signals　reconstructed,　the　LZC　index　is　introduced　to　realize　the　fault　extent　evaluation.　The　applications　of　this　method　to　the　fault　experimental　signals　of　bearing　outer　race　and　inner　race　with　different　degree　of　injury　have　shown　that　the　proposed　method　can　effectively　realize　the　fault　extent　evaluation.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.