Parenthesis

parenthesis

pa·ren·the·sis / pəˈren[unvoicedth]əsis/ • n. (pl. -ses / -ˌsēz/ ) a word, clause, or sentence inserted as an explanation or afterthought into a passage that is grammatically complete without it, in writing usually marked off by curved brackets, dashes, or commas. ∎  (usu. parentheses) one or both of a pair of marks ( ) used to include such a word, clause, or sentence. ∎  an interlude or interval: the three months of coalition government were a lamentable political parenthesis. PHRASES: in parenthesis as a digression or afterthought. ORIGIN: mid 16th cent.: via late Latin from Greek, from parentithenai ‘put in beside.’

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"parenthesis." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"parenthesis." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-parenthesis.html

"parenthesis." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-parenthesis.html

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PARENTHESIS

PARENTHESIS [Stress: ‘pa-REN-the-sis’. Plural parentheses (‘-seez’)].
1. In GRAMMAR, a qualifying, explanatory, or appositional word, phrase, clause, or sentence that interrupts a construction without otherwise affecting it. A written or printed parenthesis may be marked by pairs of COMMAS, DASHES, or round BRACKETS/parentheses: Our new manager (he has just this minute arrived) would like to meet you. A spoken parenthesis has the same intonation as an aside.

2. In the plural, a name for round brackets: the general term in AmE, but a less common, more technical term in BrE (short form parens). See ACADEMIC USAGE, ASIDE.

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TOM McARTHUR. "PARENTHESIS." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

TOM McARTHUR. "PARENTHESIS." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-PARENTHESIS.html

TOM McARTHUR. "PARENTHESIS." Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language. 1998. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O29-PARENTHESIS.html

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parenthesis

parenthesis qualifying matter introduced into a passage XVI; device used to mark this, e.g. () XVIII. — late L. — Gr. parénthesis, f. parentithénai place in besides; see PARA-1, EN-2, THESIS.
So parenthetic(al) XVII. — medL.

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T. F. HOAD. "parenthesis." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

T. F. HOAD. "parenthesis." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-parenthesis.html

T. F. HOAD. "parenthesis." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-parenthesis.html

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parenthesis

parenthesis see punctuation .

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"parenthesis." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"parenthesis." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-parenthe.html

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parenthesis

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"parenthesis." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 29 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"parenthesis." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 29, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-parenthesis.html

"parenthesis." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-parenthesis.html

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