preposition

CEFRB1

/ˈpɹiːpəˌzɪʃən/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A word such as in, on, or by that shows a relationship.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A proposition; an exposition; a discourse.

Examples

  • However, the preposition+relative pronoun (which) part becomes a relative adverb (where).

  • You can omit the preposition in this phrase.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
4

Also pronounced

  • /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. An adposition.

  2. Any of a class of non-inflecting words and multiword terms typically employed to connect a following noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense, with some other word: a particle used with a noun or pronoun (in English always in the objective case) to make a phrase limiting some other word.

More examples

In context

  • It is important to preposition the material before turning on the machine.

  • 322. The parts of speech which are neither declined nor conjugated, are called by the general name of particles. 323. They are adverbs, prepositions, conjunctions, and interjections.

  • […] he made a longe preposicion & oracion cōcernynge yͤ allegiaūce which he exortyd his lordes to owe

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

In the sentence 'The cat slept under the bed,' 'under' is an example of a blank.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English preposicioun, from Old French preposicion, from Latin praepositio, praepositionem, from praepono (“to place before”), equivalent to pre- + position. Compare French préposition. So called because it is placed before the word with which it is phrased, as in a bridge of iron, he comes from town, it is good for food, he escaped by running.