preposition

¹ American  

[prep-uh-zish-uhn] / ˌprɛp əˈzɪʃ ən /

noun

Grammar.

1. any member of a class of words found in many languages that are used before nouns, pronouns, or other substantives to form phrases functioning as modifiers of verbs, nouns, or adjectives, and that typically express a spatial, temporal, or other relationship, as in, on, by, to, since.

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preposition ² American  

[pree-puh-zish-uhn] / ˌpri pəˈzɪʃ ən /

Or pre-position

verb (used with object)

1. to position in advance or beforehand.

   to preposition troops in anticipated trouble spots.

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preposition British  

/ ˌprɛpəˈzɪʃən /

noun

1.  prep.  a word or group of words used before a noun or pronoun to relate it grammatically or semantically to some other constituent of a sentence

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preposition Cultural  

1. A part of speech that indicates the relationship, often spatial, of one word to another. For example, “She paused at the gate”; “This tomato is ripe for picking”; and “They talked the matter over head to head.” Some common prepositions are at, by, for, from, in, into, on, to, and with.

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Grammar

The often heard but misleading “rule” that a sentence should not end with a preposition is transferred from Latin, where it is an accurate description of practice. But English grammar is different from Latin grammar, and the rule does not fit English. In speech, the final preposition is normal and idiomatic, especially in questions: What are we waiting for? Where did he come from? You didn't tell me which floor you worked on. In writing, the problem of placing the preposition arises most when a sentence ends with a relative clause in which the relative pronoun ( that; whom; which; whomever; whichever; whomsoever ) is the object of a preposition. In edited writing, especially more formal writing, when a pronoun other than that introduces a final relative clause, the preposition usually precedes its object: He abandoned the project to which he had devoted his whole life. I finally telephoned the representative with whom I had been corresponding. If the pronoun is that, which cannot be preceded by a preposition, or if the pronoun is omitted, then the preposition must occur at the end: The librarian found the books that the child had scribbled in. There is the woman he spoke of.

Usage

What is a preposition? Prepositions are a category of words that are placed before nouns and pronouns to create phrases that modify nouns, verbs, or adjectives. A preposition is the first part of a prepositional phrase. The preposition is followed by an object, such as a noun or pronoun, as in outside the house. Prepositional phrases indicate a relationship between words in a sentence. For example, in I exercised after dinner, after is the preposition in the prepositional phrase after dinner. Together, after and dinner tell you more about (modify) the verb exercised. They tell you when I exercised. Prepositions and prepositional phrases are used to begin phrases that modify nouns, verbs, and adjectives. While they often follow the words they modify, but they have to, Before supper, I washed my hands. Before is modifying washed, describing when I washed my hands.

Other Word Forms

• nonprepositional
  adjective
• nonprepositionally
  adverb
• prepositional
  adjective
• prepositionally
  adverb
• quasi-prepositional
  adjective
• quasi-prepositionally
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of preposition¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English preposicioun, from Latin praepositiōn-, stem of praepositiō “a putting before, a prefix, preposition”; see pre-, position

Origin of preposition²

First recorded in 1960–65; pre- + position

Explanation

A preposition is the part of speech that shows a relationship between words. Think of “anywhere a cat can go.” A cat can go “under” the table, “on” the bed, or “out” the door. Looking for a cat? Use a preposition. In the sentence "The car went careening into the ditch," the preposition is into: it's the word that points to the noun. "We love to chase kids around the carnival in our scary clown costumes" has two prepositions, around and in. They tell you where things are happening. The most common prepositions are of, to, in, for, on, with, as, by, at, and from.

Example Sentences

The gray-skinned Article, a pretty girl of 12, and the orange Noun, a teenage boy, smiled at her politely, but the older purple Preposition cut her eyes at them and they stood at attention.

From The Verge • Feb. 8, 2019

“Don’t butter me up with Propers. It’s cheap,” declared the Preposition, who was barely out of her teens herself.

From The Verge • Feb. 8, 2019

“Out,” snapped the Preposition, jerking her thumb back to the spot Margery had vacated.

From The Verge • Feb. 8, 2019

A Common Preposition, two young girls and a boy, stepped out of an elevator and lined up against the wall near Margery.

From The Verge • Feb. 8, 2019

The compound Tenses of the first order are made up of the several simple Tenses of the auxiliary verb Bi be, and the Infinitive preceded by the Preposition ag at.

From Elements of Gaelic Grammar by Stewart, Alexander