noun / adjective
expletive
A word or expression that fills grammatical or rhythmic space rather than adding meaning.
In it is raining, it functions as an expletive subject.
Etymology
The Latin verb means to fill up. A grammatical or metrical expletive fills a position required by the form, without supplying much independent meaning.
More examples
- The teacher identified an expletive in the construction.
- The poet added an expletive phrase to complete the rhythm.
- The analysis distinguished referential and expletive pronouns.
Forms
expletive · expletives
Similar words
- filler
- Filler is the everyday idea; expletive identifies a grammatically or rhythmically useful expression without ordinary referential meaning.
- pronoun
- A pronoun normally refers to something; an expletive pronoun can fill a structural position without such reference.