sentence
pronunciation
How to pronounce sentence in British English:
UK [ˈsentəns]
How to pronounce sentence in American English:
US [ˈsentəns]
-
- Noun:
- a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
- (criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed
- the period of time a prisoner is imprisoned
-
- Verb:
- pronounce a sentence on (somebody) in a court of law
Word Origin
- sentence
- sentence: [13] ‘Complete grammatical unit’ is a comparatively recent meaning of sentence, which only emerged in English in the 15th century. Its Latin ancestor sententia originally meant ‘feeling’, for it was a derivative of sentīre ‘feel’ (source also of English sense, sentiment, etc). It subsequently broadened out to ‘opinion, judgment’, which was the starting point for the use of English sentence for ‘judicial declaration of punishment’. Sententia also came to denote ‘meaning’, and hence ‘meaning expressed in words’ and ‘maxim’.The former lies behind the grammatical sense of English sentence, while the latter survives in the derived adjective sententious [15].=> sense, sententious
- sentence (n.)
- c. 1200, "doctrine, authoritative teaching; an authoritative pronouncement," from Old French sentence "judgment, decision; meaning; aphorism, maxim; statement of authority" (12c.) and directly from Latin sententia "thought, way of thinking, opinion; judgment, decision," also "a thought expressed; aphorism, saying," from sentientem, present participle of sentire "be of opinion, feel, perceive" (see sense (n.)). Loss of first -i- in Latin by dissimilation. From early 14c. as "judgment rendered by God, or by one in authority; a verdict, decision in court;" from late 14c. as "understanding, wisdom; edifying subject matter." From late 14c. as "subject matter or content of a letter, book, speech, etc.," also in reference to a passage in a written work. Sense of "grammatically complete statement" is attested from mid-15c. "Meaning," then "meaning expressed in words." Related: Sentential.
- sentence (v.)
- "to pass judgment," c. 1400, from sentence (n.). Related: Sentenced; sentencing.
Example
- 1. The power of a sentence is tremendous .
- 2. How do you often say this sentence ?
- 3. Even russian president vladimir putin criticised the sentence .
- 4. Peddling a handful can lead to a 15-year sentence .
- 5. Anwar faced a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted .