PARENTHESES

PARENTHESIS

digression, aside, excursus, divagation, parenthesis

(noun) a message that departs from the main subject

parenthesis

(noun) either of two punctuation marks (or) used to enclose textual material

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Noun

parentheses

plural of parenthesis

Source: Wiktionary


PARENTHESIS

Pa*ren"the*sis, n.; pl. Parentheses. Etym: [NL., fr. Gr. Para-, En-, 2, and Thesis.]

1. A word, phrase, or sentence, by way of comment or explanation, inserted in, or attached to, a sentence which would be grammatically complete without it. It is usually inclosed within curved lines (see def. 2 below), or dashes. "Seldom mentioned without a derogatory parenthesis." Sir T. Browne. Don't suffer every occasional thought to carry you away into a long parenthesis. Watts.

2. (Print.)

Definition: One of the curved lines () which inclose a parenthetic word or phrase.

Note: Parenthesis, in technical grammar, is that part of a sentence which is inclosed within the recognized sign; but many phrases and sentences which are punctuated by commas are logically parenthetical. In def. 1, the phrase "by way of comment or explanation" is inserted for explanation, and the sentence would be grammatically complete without it. The present tendency is to avoid using the distinctive marks, except when confusion would arise from a less conspicuous separation.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

3 May 2025

DESIRABLE

(adjective) worth having or seeking or achieving; “a desirable job”; “computer with many desirable features”; “a desirable outcome”


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Coffee Trivia

Coffee dates back to the 9th century. Goat herders in Ethiopia noticed their goats seem to be “dancing” after eating berries from a particular shrub. They reported it to the local monastery, and a monk made a drink out of it. The monk found out he felt energized and kept him awake at night. That’s how the first coffee drink was born.

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