syntax

noun

syn·​tax ˈsin-ˌtaks How to pronounce syntax (audio)
1
a
: the way in which linguistic elements (such as words) are put together to form constituents (such as phrases or clauses)
b
: the part of grammar dealing with this
2
: a connected or orderly system : harmonious arrangement of parts or elements
the syntax of classical architecture
3
: syntactics especially as dealing with the formal properties of languages or calculi

Did you know?

Syntax is basically about what word comes before and after another word; in other words, it's part of the larger subject of grammar. Syntax is often an issue in poetry, and it's usually discussed in connection with diction—that is, the poet's choice of words. So, for example, your English professor might point out the syntactic difference between "Whose woods these are I think I know" and "I think I know whose woods these are;" whereas if the discussion was about diction instead, the question might be about the choice of "woods" rather than "land", or "think" rather than "bet".

Examples of syntax in a Sentence

Everyone has good days and bad days. Her syntax is sometimes a world unto itself. But George H.W. Bush occasionally sounded as though English were more foe than friend, and he was an astute president who managed complexity with skill and balance. Jon Meacham, Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2008
Coming from a great distance and wholly unrelated to the Teutonic, Latin and Slav languages that fence it in, Hungarian has remained miraculously intact. Everything about the language is different, not only the words themselves, but the way they are formed, the syntax and grammar and above all the cast of mind that brought them into being. Patrick Leigh Fermor, Between the Woods and the Water, 1986
“I saw that she a cookie ate” is an example of incorrect syntax.
Recent Examples on the Web During pre-training, the model learns to predict the next word in a sentence given the previous words among other tasks designed to improve its understanding of language syntax, semantics, and context. Sunil Rajaraman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Clarifications are used when the facts are correct but the words used or syntax deployed could make the meaning confusing. Washington Examiner, 15 Dec. 2023 Writing the action of those scenes presents a different challenge for McNamara, who has never quite shaken his childhood difficulty with grammar and syntax. Adam B. Vary, Variety, 10 Dec. 2023 With Hawley writing the first five episodes and co-writing the sixth, this is vintage linguistic Fargo, all twisted syntax, antiquated vernacular and digressions into allegory, folklore and history. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Nov. 2023 Olmos had been tirelessly meeting with district officials and their boards, showing that the program not only helped students to learn the syntax of cinema but also to nurture self-confidence, draw on their own creativity and, for some, practice a language that wasn’t spoken at home. Reed Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2023 These languages differ from English in writing, sentence structure, syntax, and more. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 25 Sep. 2023 What holds the movie together, for all its jittery syntax and rug-pulling midpoint twist, is the furiously combative, contrapuntal energy that courses between Silva and Firstman. Justin Chang, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2023 The agility with which Murray structures the narrative around the family at its heart is virtuosic and sure-footed, evidence of a writer at the height of his power deftly shifting perspectives, style and syntax to maximize emotional impact. Jonathan Russell Clark, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'syntax.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French sintaxe, from Late Latin syntaxis, from Greek, from syntassein to arrange together, from syn- + tassein to arrange

First Known Use

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of syntax was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near syntax

Cite this Entry

“Syntax.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/syntax. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

syntax

noun
syn·​tax ˈsin-ˌtaks How to pronounce syntax (audio)
: the way in which words are put together to form phrases, clauses, or sentences

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