preposition
NOUN:
in grammar:
1. any member of a class of words found in many language 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.
See Dictionary.com's usage notes for preposition.*
2. 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. Abbreviation: prep.
3. 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.
4. a function word that typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification or predication.
See FAQs about preposition at Merriam-Webster.*
Examples:
The preposition “on” in “The keys are on the table” shows location. // The preposition “in” in “The movie starts in one hour” shows time.
VERB:
to position in advance or beforehand:
to preposition troops in anticipated trouble spots.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English preposicioun < Latin praepositiōn- (stem of praepositiō) a putting before, a prefix, preposition. See pre-, position. Verb: First recorded in 1960–65; pre- + position. British dictionary: (noun) C14: from Latin praepositiō a putting before, from pōnere to place. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of preposition: 14th century. History and Etymology for preposition: Middle English preposicioun, from Anglo-French preposicion, from Latin praeposition-, praepositio, from praeponere to put in front, from prae- pre- + ponere to put — more at position.
—Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Added: 28 July 2020 {5:13 PM}
in grammar:
1. any member of a class of words found in many language 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.
See Dictionary.com's usage notes for preposition.*
2. 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. Abbreviation: prep.
3. 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.
4. a function word that typically combines with a noun phrase to form a phrase which usually expresses a modification or predication.
See FAQs about preposition at Merriam-Webster.*
Examples:
The preposition “on” in “The keys are on the table” shows location. // The preposition “in” in “The movie starts in one hour” shows time.
VERB:
to position in advance or beforehand:
to preposition troops in anticipated trouble spots.
Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English preposicioun < Latin praepositiōn- (stem of praepositiō) a putting before, a prefix, preposition. See pre-, position. Verb: First recorded in 1960–65; pre- + position. British dictionary: (noun) C14: from Latin praepositiō a putting before, from pōnere to place. —Dictionary.com. //
First Known Use of preposition: 14th century. History and Etymology for preposition: Middle English preposicioun, from Anglo-French preposicion, from Latin praeposition-, praepositio, from praeponere to put in front, from prae- pre- + ponere to put — more at position.
—Merriam-Webster.
Sources: 1, 2.
Added: 28 July 2020 {5:13 PM}