Word
syntax
Phoneticssyn·tax, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsɪnˌtæks/
UK/sˈɪntæks/
Definitions
01sentence structure
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Academic
n. the way words are arranged to make logical sentences in a language.
n. the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.
“The writer uses very simple syntax to make the story easy for children to read.”
“The poet frequently employs inverted syntax to create a sense of archaic formality and to maintain the strict rhythmic meter of the stanzas.”
Usage
Often used with adjectives like 'complex', 'simple', or 'inverted'.
Teaching tip
Learners often confuse syntax with grammar; explain that syntax is specifically about word order and structure, while grammar is the broader umbrella including morphology.
Synonyms
02programming rules
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Computing Technical
n. the specific rules you must follow so a computer can understand your code.
n. the formal rules governing the symbols and structure of a computer programming language.
“The program failed to run because I made a small mistake in the syntax.”
“Even a single missing semicolon can result in a syntax error that prevents the entire script from compiling correctly.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the phrase 'syntax error'.
Synonyms
03the study of structure
C2 · Proficiency Uncountable noun Academic · Technical
n. the branch of linguistics that studies how people build sentences.
n. the branch of linguistics that deals with the construction of sentences and the relationship between their component parts.
“In my linguistics class, we spent the whole term studying English syntax.”
“Generative syntax seeks to identify the underlying universal principles that allow humans to produce an infinite variety of grammatical sentences.”
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“I work on the structure and meaning parts of language: words and how they get put together. That’s called syntax.” “As a refresher, syntax describes sentence structure—how words are arranged grammatically and what parts of speech they use.” “The pleasure of learning new syntax and the cachet of gaining fluency in niche languages like Haskell or Lisp have diminished, now that an AI can spew out code in any language.” “Sure, the tone was inhuman and the structure as sophisticated as a college essay, but the key points, the grammar and the syntax were all spot on.” Etymology
Partly from Late Latin syntaxis and partly from its etymon, Ancient Greek σύνταξις (súntaxis), from σύν (sún, “together”) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”), from τάσσω (tássō, “I arrange”). Doublet of syntaxis.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
Domains
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/syntax