apposition

noun

Pronunciation: /ˌæpəˈzɪʃən/

Definition

A grammatical construction where two elements, typically noun phrases, are placed side by side so that the second identifies, renames, or supplements the first.

Examples

• The writer used apposition to clarify the identity of the mysterious stranger.

• In the sentence 'London, the capital of England,' the second phrase stands in apposition to the first.

• Students often struggle to identify when a phrase is functioning in apposition within a complex sentence.

Synonyms of apposition

Words with a similar meaning to apposition:

• addition
• juxtaposition
• renaming
• modification

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