grammar

Definitions

From Greek grammatikē (technē), 'the art of letters' — gramma (letter) is the root. Grammar is literally 'the rules of the letters': how written marks fit together into correct language. The everyday meaning is unchanged from the Greek.

Why It Means This

Grammar carries a hidden cousin: glamour. In medieval Scotland, 'grammar' meant learning in general, and learning was associated with magic and the occult — so a distorted form, 'glamour,' came to mean a magic spell, then irresistible charm. Two words, one Greek root for 'letters.'

Common Collocations

• 1.English grammar英语语法
• 2.grammar rules语法规则
• 3.grammar book语法书
• 4.correct grammar正确的语法
• 5.grammar mistake语法错误

Example Sentences

• 1.

  Her English grammar is excellent, but her accent is strong.

• 2.

  The teacher explained the grammar of conditional sentences.

• 3.

  I bought a grammar to brush up on my French.