noun
preposition
prep-uh-ZISH-un/ˌprepəˈzɪʃn/
A word, such as in or with, that shows how a noun phrase relates to another part of a sentence.
The preposition under relates the cat's position to the chair.
Etymology
“Before” plus “a placing” describes the word’s grammatical position: it was named for being placed before a noun while showing that noun’s relation to another word.
In context
the basic uses of preposition seem to be to express spatial relations among objects
More examples
- She replaced one preposition to clarify the sentence.
- The class practiced phrases beginning with a preposition.
- In the phrase with a smile, with is a preposition.
Forms
preposition · prepositions
Similar words
- conjunction
- A conjunction connects words or clauses; a preposition expresses a relationship involving its object.
- adverb
- An adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other expression; a preposition usually introduces a noun phrase.