Determiner

Origin

{1} + -er

Full definition of determiner

Noun

1. (grammar) A member of a class of words functioning in a noun phrase to identify or distinguish a referent without describing or modifying it. from 1945 Examples of determiners include articles (a, the), demonstratives (this, those), cardinal numbers (three, fifty), and indefinite numerals (most, any, each).
2. (grammar) A dependent function in a noun phrase marking the NP as definite or indefinite. This function is usually filled by words in the determinative class but may be filled by other elements such as a genitive pronoun.
3. Something that determines, or helps someone to determine, something else.
• 1901: Azel Ames, The Mayflower and Her LogThe "steel-yards" and "measures" were the only determiners of weight and quantity — as the hour-glass and sun dial were of time — possessed at first (so far as appears) by the passengers of the Pilgrim ship,

Synonyms

• word class determinative

Derived terms

• (in grammar) determiner phrase