apposition

[ ap-uh-zish-uh n ]

/ ˌæp əˈzɪʃ ən /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR apposition ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.Compare intussusception(def 2).

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

apportionment, apposable, appose, apposite, appositely, apposition, apposition suture, appositional growth, appositive, appraisal, appraisal drilling

Origin of apposition

1400–50; late Middle English apposicioun < Late Latin appositiōn- (stem of appositiō) < Latin apposit(us) (see apposite) + -iōn- -ion

Related formsap·po·si·tion·al, adjectiveap·po·si·tion·al·ly, adverb

Can be confusedapposition opposition

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for apposition

These words in apposition may themselves be modified or limited by other words or phrases or clauses.
Plain English|Marian Wharton
Sometimes a second explanatory word is placed in apposition to the first one.
Plain English|Marian Wharton
By rotating the pistons these openings can be placed in apposition or not at will, thus forming valves.
Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times|John Stewart Milne
No matter how many nouns there may be, as long as it can be shown that they are in apposition, the verb is in the singular number.
A Handbook of the English Language|Robert Gordon Latham

The writers of Gaelic seem to have carefully avoided bringing into apposition two vowels which belong to different syllables.
Elements of Gaelic Grammar|Alexander Stewart

British Dictionary definitions for apposition

apposition

/ (ˌæpəˈzɪʃən) /

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 materialCompare intussusception (def. 2)

Derived Formsappositional, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for apposition

apposition

[ ăp′ə-zĭsh′ən ]

n.

The putting in contact of two parts or substances.

The condition of being placed or fitted together.

The growth of successive layers of a cell wall.

Related formsap′po•si′tion•al adj.ap′po•si′tion•al•ly adv.