What does "syntax" mean?
A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
Syntax
/ˈsɪn.tæks/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
- Grammar: syntax is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: sentence structure, allocation, allotment, apportionment.
- Useful contrasts: accidence, chaos, disorder.
- Usage evidence: Just imagine that every time somebody made a grammar mistake, people only could answer "Syntax error." and leave the somebody with that.
How to use "syntax"
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Meaning check
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Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "syntax" in a final draft.
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Before you rely on this definition
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Definition decision workflow
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Final meaning check
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Definitions
Noun
- 1 A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
"The incorporation of a rule of V MOVEMENT into our description of English Syntax turns out to have fundamental theoretical implications for our overall Theory of Grammar: it means that we are no longer able to posit that the syntactic structure of a sentence can be described in terms of a single Phrase-marker representing its S-structure. For, the postulation of a rule of V-MOVEMENT means that we must recognise at least two different levels of structure in our Theory of Grammar — namely, a level of D-structure (formerly known as ‘Deep Structureʼ) which serves as input to the rule, and a separate level of S-structure which is formed by application of the rule."
- 2 the grammatical arrangement of words in sentences wordnet
- 3 The formal rules of formulating the statements of a computer language. countable
- 4 studies of the rules for forming admissible sentences wordnet
- 5 The study of the structure of phrases, sentences, and language.
"[Otto] Jespersen, a language professor known for his expertise in syntax and language development, stated that headlinese is not really grammatical writing."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 a systematic orderly arrangement wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Just imagine that every time somebody made a grammar mistake, people only could answer "Syntax error." and leave the somebody with that."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "syntax"?
Common synonyms include: sentence structure, allocation, allotment, apportionment, appositive, arrangement.
How do you use "syntax" in a sentence?
Just imagine that every time somebody made a grammar mistake, people only could answer "Syntax error." and leave the somebody with that.
How do you pronounce "syntax"?
Pronounced /ˈsɪn.tæks/.
Etymology
Partly from Late Latin syntaxis and partly from its etymon, Ancient Greek σύνταξις (súntaxis), from σύν (sún, “together”) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”), from τάσσω (tássō, “I arrange”). Doublet of syntaxis.