interjection

American  

[in-ter-jek-shuhn] / ˌɪn tərˈdʒɛk ʃən /

noun

1. the act of interjecting.

2. something interjected, as a remark.

3. the utterance of a word or phrase expressive of emotion; the uttering of an exclamation.

4. Grammar.

   1. any member of a class of words expressing emotion, distinguished in most languages by their use in grammatical isolation, as Hey! Oh! Ouch! Ugh!

   2. any other word or expression so used, as Good grief! Indeed!

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interjection British  

/ ˌɪntəˈdʒɛkʃən /

noun

1. a word or remark expressing emotion; exclamation

2. the act of interjecting

3.  interj..  a word or phrase that is characteristically used in syntactic isolation and that usually expresses sudden emotion; expletive

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interjection Cultural  

1. A brief exclamation, often containing only one word: “Oh!” “Gee!” “Good grief!” “Ouch!”

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Usage

What does interjection mean? An interjection is a word or phrase that expresses something in a sudden or exclamatory way, especially an emotion. Yikes, uh-oh, ugh, oh boy, and ouch are common examples of interjections. In grammar, interjections are considered one of the parts of speech (types of words categorized by function, like nouns and verbs and adjectives). Interjection is the noun form of the verb interject, which most commonly means to interrupt or insert a comment. Interjection can also be used to mean the act or instance of doing so, as in Can I make an interjection?Example: There was a chorus of angry interjections when the people in the audience heard that their taxes would be going up.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• interjectural
  adjective
• interjectional
  adjective
• interjectionally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of interjection

1400–50; late Middle English interjeccio ( u ) n < Latin interjectiōn- (stem of interjectiō ). See interject, -ion

Explanation

An interjection is a word like "Hey!" or "Mmm!" or "Ugh!" Interjections can also be longer interruptions of a conversation or something happening. The inter part of interjection, which means "between," is a good clue that this is a term for words that bust in on other strings of words. If you've ever said "Whoa!", you've used an interjection. Interjections interject or interrupt — they break into the conversation. People often use interjections when excited, such as "Yes!" or "Wow!" You could also say, "May I make an interjection?" That would be a polite way of saying you'd like to add something.

Example Sentences

"I should call them small, smaller, and smallest, like the three degrees of comparison," laughed Dick, "but I see their names at the backs of their counters,—Preposition, Conjunction, Interjection."

From The Crown of Success by A. L. O. E.

An Interjection is a Part of Speech, that serves to express some sudden Motion or Passion of the Mind, transported with the Sensation of Pleasure or Pain.

From A Short System of English Grammar For the Use of the Boarding School in Worcester (1759) by Bate, Henry

To cable "Interjection" would mean an admission of considerable import, both to his principals in Montreal and to himself.

From Second String by Hope, Anthony

The stylograph hung longingly over the cable form; it wanted to write "Interjection."

From Second String by Hope, Anthony

"I think," laughed Nelly, "that Interjection sells the funniest words of all!"

From The Crown of Success by A. L. O. E.

Related Words

• cry
• exclamation
• expletive
• insertion
• interpolation
• interposition
• shout