non-defining
adjective
(also mainlyUSnondefining)uk/ˌnɒn.dɪˈfaɪ.nɪŋ/us/ˌnɑːn.dɪˈfaɪ.nɪŋ/non-definingadjective(LANGUAGE)
languagespecialized
(of aclause) givingextrainformationabout someone or something and notnecessaryinordertounderstandwho or what is being referred to, or (of apronoun) used in aclauselike this:
In thesentence"Myyoungersister, wholivesin Boston, is anurse", "wholivesin Boston" is a non-definingrelativeclause.
If theclauseis non-defining and theantecedentnon-human, you usually use which and put acommabefore it, as in "Hescrewedthepaperinto aball, which hethrewin thebin."
In the firstsentence"which"functionsas a non-definingpronoun.
- Try toexpandthesesimplesentencesinto morecomplexones, using non-definingclausestoaddextrainformation.
- As youread,underlinetheexamplesof non-definingrelativeclauses.
- Thepronoun"which" can be used in adefiningand non-defining way.
Linguistics: sentences & expressions
- aphorism
- backchannel
- coin
- complex sentence
- compound sentence
- declarative sentence
- defining
- dicta
- dictum
- epigram
- epigrammatic
- idiom
- jawbreaker
- motto
- phrase
- proverbial
- sentence
- slogan
- soundbite
- tail
non-definingadjective(NOT DESCRIBING)
notexplainingordescribingthemeaningandexactlimitsof something:
There are many women whofindother womenattractivein a non-defining way(= they may or may not belesbian).
- Societywantstodefineusevenif that is by using non-definingterms.
- Non-definingattributesareattributesthat do notdefineaparticularshape.
Defining & explaining
- account (tosomeone) forsomething
- accountability
- adumbration
- annotation
- annotator
- crystallize
- demystify
- explicable
- explicate
- expound
- lay
- misdescribe
- miswrite
- nail
- nailsomeonedown
- non-descriptive
- non-explanatory
- outline
- rough
- trace