syntax
/ˈsɪn.tæks/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: syntaxes · syntaces · syntices
Sense 1
Meaning · English
A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
Noun
Examples
The incorporation of a rule of V MOVEMENT into our description of English Syntax turns out to have fundamental theoretical implications for our overall Theory of Grammar: it means that we are no longer able to posit that the syntactic structure of a sentence can be described in terms of a single Phr
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
The formal rules of formulating the statements of a computer language.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “syntax” mean?
A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
Is “syntax” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.