syntax
syntax Lexical Profile
syntax Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language, or the set of rules and principles that govern this structure.
"The poet intentionally inverted the normal English syntax to preserve the meter of the verse."
The set of rules that defines the combinations of symbols, keywords, and punctuation considered to be correctly structured statements or expressions in a computer programming language.
"The program failed to compile because of a missing semicolon that caused a syntax error on line forty."
The branch of linguistics that deals with the grammatical arrangement of words and morphemes in the sentences of a language.
"During her graduate studies in linguistics, she specialized in comparative syntax and semantics."
Word Nuance & Usage
While 'grammar' is a broad term covering the entire system and structure of a language (including morphology, phonology, and punctuation), 'syntax' refers specifically to the rules governing how words and phrases are arranged to form sentences.
• Rhymes for syntax
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 16th century via French or Late Latin from Ancient Greek 'syntaxis' ('a putting together or in order'), derived from 'syn-' ('together') and 'tassein' ('to arrange').