article

ar•ti•cle

[[t]ˈɑr tɪ kəl[/t]] n. v. -cled, -cling

1) lit. a factual piece of writing, usu. on a single topic, appearing in a newspaper, magazine, etc

2) an individual object, member, or portion of a class; item:

an article of clothing[/ex]

3) something of indefinite character or description

4) an item for sale; commodity

5) gram. a member of a small class of words or affixes, as the words a, an, and the in English, that are linked to nouns and that typically function in identifying the noun as a noun and in indicating definiteness or indefiniteness of reference

Compare definite article,indefinite article

6) law a separate clause or section in a contract, treaty, statute, or other formal document

7) to charge or accuse of specific offenses

8) to bind by the articles of a contract:

to article an apprentice[/ex]

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Etymology: 1200–50; ME < AF, ML articulus article of faith, L: joint, member, clause, dim. of artus joint; see -cle I