parenthetical
Americanadjective
-
of, pertaining to, noting, or of the nature of a parenthesis.
several unnecessary parenthetic remarks.
-
characterized by the use of parentheses.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of parenthetical
First recorded in 1620–30; from Greek parénthet(os) “interpolated” (verbid of parentithénai, equivalent to par- par- + en- en- 2 + the-, variant stem of tithénai “to put” + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ic + -al 1
Explanation
A parenthetical statement is one that explains or qualifies something. You can call such a statement a parenthetical, (especially when it's in parentheses). Have you ever said something like "I'm hungry!" and then added "...but I only want French fries"? That second statement is parenthetical: it clarifies the first statement. Just like words in parentheses (like these words) add clarity to a sentence, parenthetical words in speech help make something clearer or give extra information. You can call these statements (or words that actually are inside parentheses) parentheticals; and while parentheticals aren't the most important ideas, they help support those ideas.
Vocabulary lists containing parenthetical
The AP English Exam: Writing, Grammar, and Word Choice
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
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Language and Grammar - High School
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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.
Sir Martyn Oliver said he was also worried about a rise in "flexi-schooling", where parents educate their children at home for part of the week.
From BBC • Dec. 5, 2024
Lindow suggests that parents educate themselves about what resources are available in their community before there’s a problem.
From Seattle Times • May 30, 2023
Moreover, he pointed out, how can parents educate their children in Christian life “if we keep them at a distance as if they were excommunicated?”
From Washington Times • Aug. 5, 2015
So what's important is that parents educate their children to know the difference between entertainment and reality.
From Time Magazine Archive
Literacy forces certain assumptions upon us: Literate parents educate literate children.
From The Civilization of Illiteracy by Nadin, Mihai
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.
