English Reference

Word

article

Phoneticsar·ti·cle, stress on the first syllable

US/ˈɑɹtəkəɫ/

UK/ˈɑːtɪkəl/

Definitions

01piece of writing

A2 · Elementary Countable noun

n. a piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine, or website.

n. a non-fictional composition on a specific topic, forming an independent part of a publication such as a newspaper or journal.

“I read an interesting article about space travel in the Sunday paper.”

“The lead article in this month's medical journal challenges previous assumptions about the efficacy of the new treatment protocol.”

02an object

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun

n. a particular thing or item.

n. an individual object or item, typically one of a class or a member of a collection.

“Several articles of clothing were left behind in the gym locker room.”

“The museum's collection includes various articles of daily use from the Roman era, ranging from bronze needles to ceramic oil lamps.”

Synonyms

03grammar word

A1 · Beginner Countable noun Grammar

n. a word like 'a', 'an', or 'the' that comes before a noun.

n. a member of a small class of determiners used with a noun to limit or specify its reference.

“In the sentence 'I saw a cat', the word 'a' is an article.”

“Learners whose native languages lack a definite article often struggle with the subtle distinctions between 'the' and 'a' in English academic prose.”

Pitfall

He is a honest man.

He is an honest man.

Use the article 'an' before words that start with a vowel sound, even if the first letter is a consonant like 'h'.

Synonyms

determiner

04legal clause

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Law Formal

n. a separate part or section of a legal document.

n. a distinct clause or section in a legal contract, constitution, or treaty.

“According to Article 5 of the contract, you must give one month's notice.”

“The delegates spent three days debating the precise wording of the third article of the proposed international trade agreement.”

05the real thing

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Informal

n. the real or genuine version of something, not a copy.

n. the genuine or authentic version of a person or thing; usually used in the phrase 'the genuine article'.

“That's not a cheap copy; it's the genuine article.”

“After years of watching amateur performers, seeing a professional on stage made me realise I was finally watching the genuine article.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

06to bind by contract

C2 · Proficiency Law Formal · British English

v. to bind someone by a legal agreement to work for a master or professional to learn a job.

v. to bind a person by a contract of apprenticeship, particularly in the legal or accountancy professions.

“He was articled to a firm of solicitors in London to complete his training.”

“In the nineteenth century, young men were frequently articled to established architects for a period of seven years to master the technicalities of the trade.”

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “article” in context.

01. published article 02. recent article 03. relevant article

Etymology

From Middle English article, from Old French article, from Latin articulus (“a joint, limb, member, part, division, the article in grammar, a point of time”), from Latin artus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂értus (“that which is fit together; juncture, ordering”), from the root h₂er- (“to join, fit (together)”). Doublet of articulus.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Synonyms

Related words

Idioms

Domain

Grammar

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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