a
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Plural
appositions
1
the action of placing two or more things close together or side by side
- The sculpture's beauty comes from the apposition of contrasting shapes.
- Apposition of colors can enhance the overall harmony of the composition.
- The architect emphasized the apposition of light and shadow in the design.
- The apposition of the two paintings created a striking visual effect.
- The editor noted the apposition of sentences for stylistic impact.
Synonyms:
2
(in biology) the process by which a cell wall thickens through the sequential deposition of layers of material
- Secondary cell wall formation occurs by apposition in plant xylem.
- The biologist observed apposition of cellulose layers under the microscope.
- Bone growth often involves apposition at the surface of existing tissue.
- The tree increases trunk diameter through apposition of new wood layers.
- Apposition allows cells to strengthen walls as they mature.
3
(grammar) the use of two adjacent noun phrases having the same referent that have the same syntactical role in a sentence
Apposition is a grammatical construction where two noun phrases are placed next to each other, with one noun phrase providing additional information about the other. The two phrases usually refer to the same person or thing, and the second phrase clarifies or specifies the first. For example, in the sentence "My brother, a skilled musician, plays the guitar," the phrase "a skilled musician" is in apposition to "my brother," offering more detail about him. Apposition can help provide context or elaboration without needing to create separate sentences, enhancing clarity and depth in communication.
- In linguistics, apposition refers to a grammatical construction where two elements, usually noun phrases, are placed side by side, with one element serving to define or modify the other.
- The phrase "Alice, the team leader, addressed the meeting" uses apposition to provide more information about Alice.
- Understanding apposition is essential for parsing complex sentences, as it helps in identifying the relationships between different parts of the sentence.
- Writers often use apposition to add descriptive detail, as in "The artist, known for his vibrant paintings, held an exhibition."
- In the study of syntax, apposition is analyzed to see how additional information is integrated seamlessly into sentences without disrupting the flow.