parenthesis - Definition & Meaning

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the

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noun

Third Person

parentheses

either of the symbols ( ) used in writing to enclose extra information that is given or to group a symbolic unit in logic or mathematics

A parenthesis is a punctuation mark, typically represented as a pair of curved symbols ( ) used to enclose additional information or clarifying details within a sentence. The information inside a parenthesis is usually not essential to the main point but provides extra context or explanation. For example, in the sentence "The concert (which was sold out) was amazing," the phrase within the parentheses adds information about the concert but can be omitted without changing the main idea. Parentheses help organize thoughts and improve clarity in writing by separating supplementary content from the main text.

In mathematics, a parenthesis is used to group numbers or operations together, as in (3 + 5) × 2.
The author added a clarification in parenthesis to explain a concept further to the reader.
She included a joke in parenthesis at the end of her email (just to lighten the mood).
In programming, a parenthesis is used to enclose parameters in a function call, such as print ('Hello, world!').
The sentence was interrupted by a thought in parenthesis (a common occurrence in informal writing).

a departure from the main subject or topic, often providing extra, non-essential information

His comment about the weather was just a parenthesis in the discussion.
The long parenthesis about her childhood felt unrelated to the main point.
We were talking about the project, but his story about vacation was a parenthesis.
The parenthesis on her favorite book distracted from the topic at hand.
That remark about politics was an unnecessary parenthesis in our conversation.

Synonyms:

digression aside excursus divagation

a word, phrase, or sentence inserted into a text to provide additional explanation, which can be removed without affecting the main sentence, enclosed in curved brackets, commas, or dashes

A parenthesis is an explanatory word, phrase, or sentence that adds additional information to a main statement but is not essential for understanding the overall meaning. This extra information can be placed within curved brackets, commas, or dashes. For example, in the sentence "The car, which was red, sped past," the phrase "which was red" provides extra detail about the car but can be removed without changing the main point. Parentheses help clarify or elaborate on ideas while keeping the original message intact.

The author included a parenthesis to clarify the term.
She inserted a parenthesis explaining the historical context.
The sentence reads smoothly even without the parenthesis.
He used a parenthesis to add a humorous aside.
The editor suggested removing the parenthesis for brevity.