parse

1 of 2

verb

ˈpärs 

 chiefly British  ˈpärz

parsed; parsing

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide (a sentence) into grammatical parts and identify the parts and their relations to each other

b

: to describe (a word) grammatically by stating the part of speech and explaining the inflection (see inflection sense 2a) and syntactical relationships

2

: to examine in a minute way : analyze critically

having trouble parsing … explanations for dwindling market shares

—R. S. Anson

intransitive verb

1

: to give a grammatical description of a word or a group of words

2

: to admit of being parsed

parse

2 of 2

noun

: a product or an instance of parsing

Did you know?

If parse brings up memories of learning the parts of speech in school, you've done your homework regarding this word. Parsing sentences, after all, is part and parcel of learning to read and write. Parse comes from the first element of the Latin term for "part of speech," pars orationis. It's an old word that has been used since at least the mid 1500s, but it was not until the late 1700s that parse graduated to its extended, non-grammar-related sense of "to examine in a minute way" or "to analyze critically." Remember this extended sense, and you'll really be at the head of the class.

Examples of parse in a Sentence

Verb

Students were asked to parse the sentence.

Economists parsed the census data.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Today’s resumes are often parsed by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which means adhering to ATS-friendly guidelines can make or break your application. —Andrew Fennell, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

In a work of impressive range, erudition, and ambition, Overy, best known for his seminal histories of World War II, skillfully parses the development of psychological, biological, ecological, and anthropological theories of war and its triggers. —Foreign Affairs, 8 Dec. 2024

Police sources said several hours after the shooting took place that officers were continuing to parse surveillance images and canvass the area for additional video in efforts to track down the gunman. —Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 4 Dec. 2024

Freeman was asked about the most inexplicable result of the college football season again Saturday, trying to parse what Notre Dame took from its public flogging in early September. —Pete Sampson, The Athletic, 24 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Latin pars orationis part of speech

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!

Kids Definition

parse

verb

ˈpärs,

ˈpärz

parsed; parsing

1

: to analyze a sentence by naming its parts and their relations to each other

2

: to give the part of speech of a word and explain its relation to other words in a sentence