Preposition

//ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən// noun, verb

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any of a class of non-inflecting words and multiword terms typically employed to connect a following noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word: a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word. strict-sense

    "322. The parts of speech which are neither declined nor conjugated, are called by the general name of particles. 323. They are adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections."

  2. 2
    a function word that combines with a noun or pronoun or noun phrase to form a prepositional phrase that can have an adverbial or adjectival relation to some other word wordnet
  3. 3
    An adposition. broadly
  4. 4
    (linguistics) the placing of one linguistic element before another (as placing a modifier before the word it modifies in a sentence or placing an affix before the base to which it is attached) wordnet
  5. 5
    A proposition; an exposition; a discourse. obsolete

    "[…] he made a longe preposicion & oracion cōcernynge yͤ allegiaūce which he exortyd his lordes to owe"

Verb
  1. 1
    Alternative spelling of pre-position. alt-of, alternative, proscribed, sometimes

    "It is important to preposition the material before turning on the machine."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English preposicioun, from Old French preposicion, from Latin praepositio, praepositionem, from praepono (“to place before”), equivalent to pre- + position. Compare French préposition. So called because it is placed before the word with which it is phrased, as in a bridge of iron, he comes from town, it is good for food, he escaped by running.

Etymology 2

From pre- + position.

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