n. 1. Grammar a. A construction in which a noun or noun phrase is placed with another as an explanatory equivalent, both having the same syntactic relation to the other elements in the sentence; for example, Copley and the painter in The painter Copley was born in Boston. b. The relationship between such nouns or noun phrases. 2. A placing side by side or next to each other. 3. Biology The growth of successive layers of a cell wall. [Middle English apposicioun, from Latin appositiō, appositiōn-, from appositus, past participle of appōnere, to put near; see APPOSITE.] ap′po·sition·al adj. ap′po·sition·al·ly adv. |
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