Standard Lemma guide

parenthetical

adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈpæ.ɹən.θɛt.ɪkl̩/
  • Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P ER0 EH0 N TH EH1 T IH0 K AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Using, containing, or within parenthesis.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Examples

  • You wrote "Bob (my best friend) works in finance", but I think you should rephrase that parenthetical part.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Explaining or qualifying something.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Incidental.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A word or phrase within parentheses.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A descriptor or modifier enclosed within parentheses and put, indented, in a line of dialogue to describe how it should be acted or directed onscreen.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

qualifying or explaining; placed or as if placed in parentheses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • parenthetical remarks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parenthetic

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

an expression in parentheses

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • his writing was full of parentheticals

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: parenthetical expression

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: adjunct

History

Etymology

From Medieval Latin parentheticus (from Late Latin parenthesis or Ancient Greek παρένθετος (parénthetos), + -icus) + -al. By surface analysis, par- + en- + thetical.

Across languages

Translations

1 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Esperanto: parenteza — parenthetical