subjects
English meaning: Subjects
Definition
(grammar) In a clause: the word or word group (usually a noun phrase) that is dealt with. In active clauses with verbs denoting an action, the subject and the actor are usually the same.
Example
“In the sentence ‘The mouse is eaten by the cat in the kitchen.’, ‘The mouse’ is the subject, ‘the cat’ being the agent.”
Another example: “In the sentence 'the dog barked', 'the dog' is the subject of the verb.”
Usage — When, Where & How
A plural noun with two main senses: areas of academic study (school and university), and the grammatical term for the doer of a verb. The school sense is the most common in everyday English.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Latin 'subiectus' ('thrown under, placed beneath'), via Old French 'suget', from the 14th century.
Related Words
- maths
- geography
- mathematics
- compulsory
- chemistry
- biology
- curriculum
- humanities
- astronomy
- math
Common Collocations
- school subjects
- favourite subject
- core subjects
- subject matter
- change the subject
- subjects studied
Word Forms
subject (n); subjects (pl); subject (v); subjective (adj)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B