article

article

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Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "article" is /ˈɑːr.tɪ.kəl/.

• Ar-: /ɑːr/ (as in the "ar" in "car")

• -ti-: /tɪ/ (as in the "ti" in "city")

• -cle: /kəl/ (as in the "cle" in "bicycle")

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Word Form Variations

The word "article" primarily functions as a noun.

• Singular: article

• Plural: articles

While less common and often considered archaic or specialized, "article" can also function as a verb (e.g., "to article an apprentice"), but its most prevalent modern use is as a noun.

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Noun

1. A written composition forming an independent part of a publication.

• Synonyms: essay, piece, report, feature, story, composition

• Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; concepts like "abstract" or "outline" might suggest an incomplete article, but not an opposite.)

2. A specific item or object, typically one of a class or series.

• Synonyms: item, thing, object, unit, piece, commodity

• Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; "whole" or "aggregate" might describe a collection rather than a single article.)

3. A particular clause or paragraph of a legal document, contract, or statute.

• Synonyms: clause, section, paragraph, provision, stipulation, term

• Antonyms: (No direct antonyms; "appendix" or "addendum" might be related but not opposite.)

4. In grammar, any of a small set of words (like "a," "an," and "the" in English) used before nouns to specify their grammatical definiteness or indefiniteness.

• Synonyms: determiner (in a broader linguistic context)

• Antonyms: (No direct antonyms as it's a grammatical classification.)

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Examples of Use

Books:

• "His latest article in The New Yorker discussed the political landscape of the Rust Belt." (Implied: The New Yorker is a well-known publication)

• "Chapter three of the textbook provides a detailed article on the principles of quantum physics." (Generic textbook example)

Newspapers:

• "The front-page article of The New York Times yesterday reported on the latest developments in the peace talks." (The New York Times)

• "An opinion article in the local paper criticized the city council's decision on the new park." (Local Newspaper, generic)

Online Publications:

• "You can find a comprehensive article about sustainable living practices on Treehugger.com." (Treehugger.com)

• "This long-form article on Medium explores the rise of artificial intelligence in creative industries." (Medium.com)

• "TechCrunch published an article this morning about Apple's new product launch." (TechCrunch.com)

Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Television/Film: "Did you see that documentary? They based it on an article from Rolling Stone about the history of rock and roll." (Implied: Rolling Stone magazine)

• Podcasts: "In this week's episode, we're dissecting a fascinating article from Scientific American about the human brain." (Scientific American)

• Video Games (in-game text/lore): "The lore library contains several ancient articles detailing the fall of the empire." (Generic video game example)

• Social Media: "That viral article on Twitter about the health benefits of meditation is still getting a lot of shares." (Twitter)

General Public Discourse:

• "I read an article online last night that said coffee is good for you, then another one that said it's bad. It's so confusing!" (Everyday conversation)

• "The store has a sale on household articles this weekend, so I'm going to stock up on cleaning supplies." (Everyday conversation referring to items)

• "Before signing the contract, make sure you understand every article, especially the one about early termination fees." (Legal/business discussion)

• "In English grammar, 'the' is a definite article." (Educational/linguistic discussion)

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10 Famous Quotes Using Article

1. "Liberty is the great article of commerce by which all good things are bought and sold." (Henry Ward Beecher)

2. "The first article of my belief is that everything is subject to opinion." (Michel de Montaigne, Essays)

3. "I never read an article in a newspaper or magazine that I have not been able to improve." (William Randolph Hearst)

4. "Knowledge is the only article of property that cannot be stolen." (Irish Proverb)

5. "Friendship is the most sacred of all articles, and it is the most difficult to attain." (Voltaire)

6. "Truth is the highest article of food; it nourishes the soul." (Swami Sivananda)

7. "Poverty is the best article in the world for an artist; it spurs one on." (Sergei Rachmaninoff)

8. "My faith is the single most important article of my life." (George W. Bush)

9. "The most important article of clothing a woman can wear is her smile." (Attributed to various sources, often Diane von Fürstenberg or Audrey Hepburn)

10. "The pen is the tongue of the mind." (Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote – Metaphorical/Synonymous, referring to a written 'article' as the output of the mind)

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Etymology

The word "article" has a pretty cool journey through language! It essentially comes from a root meaning "to join" or "a joint."

Here's a breakdown:

1. Starts with "Joints": The very oldest ancestor of "article" is a Proto-Indo-European root that meant something like "to join" or "to fit together." Think of how bones "join" at a "joint."

2. Latin "Articulus": This root then evolved into the Latin word articulus. This word was a "diminutive" of artus, which meant "a joint." So, articulus literally meant "a small joint" or "a little joint." From this, it started to mean a "limb," "member," or "part." It was also used to refer to a "division" or "clause" in a document, or even a "point in time."

3. Grammar Connection: Interestingly, the Latin articulus was also used to describe the grammatical "article" (like "a" or "the"). This is because the ancient Greek word for a grammatical article, arthron, also meant "joint." The Romans just translated the Greek idea directly into their own word for "joint" or "part."

4. Old French and Middle English: From Latin, the word passed into Old French as article, and then into Middle English, likely around the 13th century (specifically, the Oxford English Dictionary notes its earliest known use around 1225).

First Known Meaning:

When "article" first appeared in English, its main meaning was "a separate part of something written," especially referring to the clauses or statements in a legal document, a creed (like the Apostles' Creed), or a contract. It was about individual, distinct parts that fit together to form a larger whole, much like joints in a body.

Over time, the meaning expanded to include other "separate parts" or "items," like articles of clothing, and eventually the written compositions we now commonly call "articles" in newspapers or magazines.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Article

As "article" is more of a straightforward noun and less prone to idiomatic use, many common phrases involve it in a literal sense. Therefore, this list includes some literal but common uses, a few lesser-known phrases, and some idioms using synonyms for "article" that convey a similar sense of a distinct item or point.

Phrases and Idioms using "Article":

1. Article of faith: A belief or principle that is accepted unquestioningly.

• Example: "For him, never giving up was an article of faith."

2. Article of clothing: A specific garment.

• Example: "He lost an article of clothing at the party."

3. Articles of impeachment: The formal statement of charges against a public official in an impeachment process.

• Example: "The committee debated the articles of impeachment for weeks."

4. Articles of war: A code of laws for the government of an army or navy. (Historical, but still recognized)

• Example: "Violating the articles of war could lead to a court-martial."

5. Articles of incorporation/association: Legal documents that establish a corporation or organization.

• Example: "The lawyer drafted the articles of incorporation for the new startup."

6. To get hold of an article: To obtain a specific item. (Literal but common usage)

• Example: "I'm trying to get hold of an article from that limited edition collection."

7. To write an article: To compose a written piece for publication. (Very common, literal usage)

• Example: "She spent all weekend trying to write an engaging article for the magazine."

Idioms with Synonyms/Similar Effect:

1. The long and short of it: The summary or essential point of something. (Similar to the "article" of a discussion)

• Example: "The long and short of it is, we need to cut costs."

2. Point of contention: A specific issue or argument about which there is disagreement. (Similar to a disputed "article" in an agreement)

• Example: "Their salary was the main point of contention during negotiations."

3. A matter of principle: Something that is done because of a strong belief or standard. (Relates to "article of faith")

• Example: "He refused on a matter of principle, despite the financial benefits."

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of article from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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