Etymology : Middle English, from Old French, from Latin articulus joint, division, diminutive of artus joint, limb; akin to Greek arariskein to fit; more at ARM
Pronunciation : är-ti-k&l
Function : noun
Date : 13th century
1. item, object; paragraph of a contract; message sent to a newsgroup (Computers); word placed next to a noun (such as the, a) to indicate the presence of a noun (Grammar); person who causes objection (Slang). bind with a contract. an objectionable person: "Come on, go and tidy your bedroom you lazy article ". article\ar"ti*cle\ , n. [f., fr. l. articulus, dim. of artus joint, akin to gr. , fr. a root ar to join, fit. see:
art, n.].
2. a distinct portion of an instrument, discourse, literary work, or any other writing, consisting of two or more particulars, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the constitution. hence: a clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a concise statement; as, articles of agreement.
3. a literary composition, forming an independent portion of a magazine, newspaper, or cyclopedia.
4. subject; matter; concern; distinct. [obs.] a very great revolution that happened in this article of good breeding. this last article will hardly be believed.
5. a distinct part. "upon each article of human duty." "each article of time." abington. the articles which compose the blood. darwin.
6. a particular one of various things; as, an article of merchandise; salt is a necessary article. they would fight not for articles of faith, but for articles of food.
7. precise point of time; moment. [obs. or archaic] this fatal news coming to hick's hall upon the article of my lord russell's trial, was said to have had no little influence on the jury and all the bench to his prejudice.
8. (gram.) one of the three words, a, an, the, used before nouns to limit or define their application. a (or an) is called the indefinite article, the the definite article.
9. (zo?l.) one of the segments of an articulated appendage.
10. A distinct portion of an instrument, discourse, literary work, or any other writing, consisting of two or more particulars, or treating of various topics; as, an article in the Constitution.
11. Hence: A clause in a contract, system of regulations, treaty, or the like; a term, condition, or stipulation in a contract; a concise statement; as, articles of agreement.
12. A literary composition, forming an independent portion of a magazine, newspaper, or cyclopedia.
13. Subject; matter; concern; distinct.
14. A distinct part.
15. A particular one of various things; as, an article of merchandise; salt is a necessary article.
16. Precise point of time; moment.
17. One of the three words, a, an, the, used before nouns to limit or define their application.
18. A is called the indefinite article, the the definite article.
19. One of the segments of an articulated appendage.
20. To formulate in articles; to set forth in distinct particulars.
21. To accuse or charge by an exhibition of articles.
22. To bind by articles of covenant or stipulation; as, to article an apprentice to a mechanic.
23. To agree by articles; to stipulate; to bargain; to covenant. one of a class of artifacts; "an article of clothing" nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication a determiner that may indicate the specificity of reference of a noun phrase a separate section of a legal document bind by a contract; especially for a training period.
24. 1. An article is a piece of writing that is published in a newspaper or magazine. a newspaper article According to an article in The Economist the drug could have side effects.
25. You can refer to objects as articles of some kind. articles of clothing household articles.
26. emphasis If you describe something as the genuine article, you are emphasizing that it is genuine, and often that it is very good. The vodka was the genuine article.
27. An article of a formal agreement or document is a section of it which deals with a particular point. Article 50 of the UN charter.
28. Someone who is in articles is being trained as a lawyer or accountant by a firm with whom they have a written agreement.
29. In grammar, an article is a kind of determiner. In English, `a' and `an' are called the indefinite article, and `the' is called the definite article.