syntactic

Also syn·tacti·cal

[sin-tak-tik]

adjective

1. of or relating to syntax.

   syntactic errors in English;

   the syntactic rules for computer source code.

2. consisting of or noting morphemes that are combined in the same order as they would be if they were separate words in a corresponding construction.

   The word blackberry, which consists of an adjective followed by a noun, is a syntactic compound.

Other Word Forms

• syntactically adverb
• nonsyntactic adjective
• nonsyntactical adjective
• nonsyntactically adverb
• unsyntactic adjective
• unsyntactical adjective
• unsyntactically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of syntactic¹

1570–80; < New Latin syntacticus < Greek syntaktikós, equivalent to syntakt ( ós ) ordered, arranged together, verbid of syntássein to arrange together ( syn- syn- + tag-, base of tássein to arrange + -tos adj. suffix) + -ikos -ic; tactic

Related Words

• linguistic 
• semantic