appositive

American  

[uh-poz-i-tiv] / əˈpɒz ɪ tɪv /

noun

appositives plural

1. a word or phrase in apposition.

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adjective

1. placed in apposition.

2. (of an adjective or adjectival phrase) directly following the noun it modifies.

appositive British  

/ əˈpɒzɪtɪv /

adjective

1. grammar

   1. standing in apposition

   2. another word for nonrestrictive

2. of or relating to apposition

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noun

1. an appositive word or phrase

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• appositively
  adjective
• appositively
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• appositives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of appositive

First recorded in 1685–95; apposit(ion) + -ive

Explanation

In grammar, an appositive word or phrase is one that describes the word or phrase right next to it. "My cat" is the appositive phrase in the sentence, "I'd like you to meet Burrito, my cat." While this adjective, strictly speaking, means "beside" or "adjacent," it's most commonly used to talk about grammar. If you say, "I saw Lady Gaga, a famous singer, at the supermarket," you've used the appositive phrase "a famous singer," which describes Lady Gaga. Appositive can also be used as a noun. In the song "Do-Re-Me," from The Sound of Music, the appositive "a deer" adds information, explaining exactly what a "doe" is.