preposition

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Etymology 1 1.1.1 Alternative forms 1.1.2 Pronunciation 1.1.3 Noun 1.1.3.1 Antonyms 1.1.3.2 Derived terms 1.1.3.3 Related terms 1.1.3.4 Translations 1.1.4 See also 1.2 Etymology 2 1.2.1 Alternative spellings 1.2.2 Pronunciation 1.2.3 Verb 2 Finnish 2.1 Noun 3 Interlingua 3.1 Noun

[edit] English

Wikipedia

[edit] Etymology 1

From Latin praepositio, from praeponere (to place before); prae (before) + ponere (to put, place); compare French préposition. (See position, and compare provost.)

[edit] Alternative forms

• præposition (archaic)

[edit] Pronunciation

• enPR: prĕp-ə-zĭsh'ən, IPA: /ˌprɛpəˈzɪʃən/
•  Audio (US)^{help, file}

[edit] Noun

preposition (plural prepositions)

1. (grammar): A closed class of non-inflecting words typically employed to connect a noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word; a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word; — so called because it is usually placed before the word with which it is phrased; as, a bridge of iron; he comes from town; it is good for food; he escaped by running. Prepositions are a heterogeneous class of words in some languages, with fuzzy boundaries that tend to overlap with other categories (like adverbs, adjectives, and conjunctions) and also allow for inflected prepositions.
2. (obsolete) A proposition; an exposition; a discourse.

   • He made a long preposition and oration — Fabyan

[edit] Antonyms

• (grammar) postposition

[edit] Derived terms

• preposition of time
• preposition of place
• prepositional
• prepositionally
• prepositional phrase
• prepositioned direct object
• prepositive

[edit] Related terms

• adposition
• circumposition
• postposition

[edit] Translations

[edit] See also

• preverb

[edit] Etymology 2

From pre- + position

[edit] Alternative spellings

• pre-position

[edit] Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈpriːpəˌzɪʃən/

[edit] Verb

to preposition (third-person singular simple present prepositions, present participle prepositioning, simple past and past participle prepositioned)

1. To place in a location before some other event occurs.

   It is important to preposition the material before turning on the machine.

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[edit] Finnish

[edit] Noun

preposition

1. Genitive singular form of prepositio.

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[edit] Interlingua

[edit] Noun

preposition

1. (grammar) A word that is used in conjunction with a noun or pronoun in order to form a phrase.