nonrestrictive clause

American  

noun

Grammar.

1. a relative clause that describes or supplements but is not essential in establishing the identity of the antecedent and is usually set off by commas in English. In This year, which has been dry, is bad for crops the clause which has been dry is a nonrestrictive clause.

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Etymology

Origin of nonrestrictive clause

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

What follows, to quote the stylebook, is “a nonrestrictive clause — one providing added information, not essential to understand the sentence.”

From New York Times • Dec. 9, 2014