grammar

noun

(countable and uncountable, linguistics) A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general.

(uncountable, linguistics) The study of such a system.

(uncountable) Actual or presumed prescriptive notions about the correct use of a language.

(countable) A book describing the grammar (noun, sense 1 or noun, sense 2) of a language.

(countable, computing theory) A formal system specifying the syntax of a language.

(countable, computing theory) A formal system defining a formal language.

(countable, figurative) The basic rules or principles of a field of knowledge or a particular skill.

(countable, cellular automata) A set of component patterns, along with the rules for connecting them, which can be combined to form more complex patterns such as large still lifes, oscillators, and spaceships.

(countable and uncountable, chiefly British, informal) Ellipsis of grammar school. [(archaic) A school that teaches its pupils the grammar system of a European language, especially Latin and Greek.]

(countable, British, archaic) A book describing these rules or principles; a textbook.

verb

(obsolete, intransitive) To discourse according to the rules of grammar; to use grammar.

Roots

grammagram- · Greek · writing, letter

Synonyms for grammar

syntacticsadj

Synonyms & related words for grammar

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of grammar — including syntactics. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to grammar

Explore words related to grammar — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include allative, adessive, endocentric, aoristic, inessive, essive, abessive, comitative. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for grammar

Common synonyms for grammar include syntactics — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does grammar come from?

The word grammar breaks down into one root of Greek origin: the root gram-, from Greek gramma (“writing, letter”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.