apposition
Americannoun
-
the act of placing together or bringing into proximity; juxtaposition.
-
the addition or application of one thing to another thing.
-
Grammar. a syntactic relation between expressions, usually consecutive, that have the same function and the same relation to other elements in the sentence, the second expression identifying or supplementing the first. In Washington, our first president, the phrase our first president is in apposition with Washington.
-
Biology. growth of a cell wall by the deposition of new particles in layers on the wall.
noun
-
a putting into juxtaposition
-
a grammatical construction in which a word, esp a noun phrase, is placed after another to modify its meaning
-
biology growth in the thickness of a cell wall by the deposition of successive layers of material Compare intussusception
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apposition
1400–50; late Middle English apposicioun < Late Latin appositiōn- (stem of appositiō ) < Latin apposit ( us ) ( see apposite) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
When you put two things right next to each other, you can call that apposition. The apposition of your dog and your cat makes an adorable photograph. Though you can use the noun apposition to talk about the positioning of objects — or words — close together, it's usually found in scientific or technical writing. In grammar, an apposition occurs when two words or phrases are placed beside each other in a sentence so that one describes or defines the other. An example is the phrase "my dog Woofers," in which "my dog" is in apposition to the name "Woofers."
Vocabulary lists containing apposition
TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Rhetoric
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The AP English Exam: Rhetorical and Literary Terms 4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But other elements were recognizable, like the flat vowels and the plaid shirts and the helpful practicality, like the lonesomeness of the undifferentiated plains, like the apposition of wilderness and chain stores.
From New York Times • Nov. 27, 2019
The united probe glows wherever two organelles come into close apposition.
From Nature • Mar. 10, 2019
In the most beautiful apposition of two of the simplest words in our language: the freedom of speech.”
From BusinessWeek • Dec. 16, 2011
The phrase "able Christus" was used in apposition to Anton Lang, the Oberammergau actor.
From Time Magazine Archive
Placing the two nouns in apposition is much the same as using the first as an adjective.
From Compound Words Typographic Technical Series for Apprentices #36 by Hamilton, Frederick W. (Frederick William)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
