item
Other forms: items
An item is one thing, usually in a group or a list. At a restaurant, you might find yourself interested in a particular item on the menu (until you notice the price and decide to order a hamburger instead).
Item is a Latin word meaning “likewise.” As early as the 15th century, this word was used in formal writing to introduce each point in a list (like a medieval version of the bullet point). The meaning of item has continued to evolve. Since the 1970s, it’s been used in casual speech to refer to a romantically involved couple: "Did you hear? Avery and Sam are an item!"
Definitions of item
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a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list“he noticed an item in the New York Times”“she had several items on her shopping list”
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synonyms:
point
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types:
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agenda item
one of the items to be considered
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incidental
an item that is incidental
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inventory item
an item listed in an inventory
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line item
an item in an appropriation bill
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news item
an item in a newspaper
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place, position
an item on a list or in a sequence
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postposition
(linguistics) the placing of one linguistic element after another (as placing a modifier after the word that it modifies in a sentence or placing an affix after the base to which it is attached)
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preposition
(linguistics) the placing of one linguistic element before another (as placing a modifier before the word it modifies in a sentence or placing an affix before the base to which it is attached)
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factoid
a brief (usually one sentence and usually trivial) news item
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type of:
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component, component part, constituent, moiety, part, portion
something determined in relation to something that includes it
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a small part that can be considered separately from the whole
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synonyms:
detail, particular
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types:
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high spot, highlight
the most interesting or memorable part
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accent
a detail or feature that adds visual emphasis to or contrasts with its surroundings
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type of:
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component, component part, constituent, moiety, part, portion
something determined in relation to something that includes it
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high spot, highlight
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an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
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types:
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minutia
a small or minor detail
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nook and cranny, nooks and crannies
something remote
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regard, respect
(usually preceded by `in') a detail or point
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sticking point
a point at which an impasse arises in progress toward an agreement or a goal
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technicality, trifle, triviality
a detail that is considered insignificant
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type of:
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fact
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
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a whole individual unit; especially when included in a list or collection“they reduced the price on many items”
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types:
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custom-built, custom-made
an item made to the customer's specifications
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disposable
an item that can be disposed of after it has been used
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piece
an item that is an instance of some type
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custom-built, custom-made
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(used when listing or enumerating items) also“"a length of chain, item a hook"-Philip Guedalla”
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an individual instance of a type of symbol
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synonyms:
token
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types:
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postage, postage stamp, stamp
a small adhesive token stuck on a letter or package to indicate that that postal fees have been paid
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trading stamp
a token resembling a stamp given by a retailer to a buyer; the token is redeemable for articles on a special list
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type of:
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symbol
an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance
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postage, postage stamp, stamp
Pronunciation
US
/ˈaɪdəm/
UK
/ˈaɪtəm/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘item'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
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