article
gb/ˈɑɹtɪkəl/ us/ˈɑɹtɪkəl/
A2
English
~ 1100
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
written item in a publication
A piece of writing in a newspaper, magazine, or on the internet about one subject.
Usage pattern:
an article about [topic]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'article' with 'essay'. An essay is often more personal or academic, while an article is usually journalistic or informative.
Synonyms
story (Often used for news reports; can be less formal than 'article'.)
|
report (Focuses more on factual or investigative writing.)
Antonyms
headline (A headline is just the title of a news piece, not the full text.)
Collocations
write an article
|read an article
|publish an article
|feature article
|news article
Themes
media
|communication
|education
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- I read an interesting article about climate change.
- She published an article on the latest tech trends.
- The magazine featured an article on healthy eating.
- He is writing an article for the local newspaper.
- That online article went viral overnight.
Learner examples
- I read an article about cats.
- She writes articles for a school paper.
- We saw an article about the city park.
- He wrote an article about food.
- The article is in the newspaper.
Noun
technical
B1
relation
2
grammar word before a noun
'A', 'an', and 'the' are words put before nouns to say if we mean something general or specific.
Common mistake:
Learners often forget to use articles in English, especially when their native language does not have them.
Synonyms
determiner (A broader grammatical category that includes articles as well as other words like 'this' and 'some'.)
Antonyms
noun (A noun is the word that follows an article; not the same part of speech.)
Collocations
definite article
|indefinite article
|use an article
|omit the article
Themes
language
|grammar
|education
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In English, 'the' is called the definite article.
- You don't need an article before plural nouns in general statements.
- The teacher explained how to use indefinite articles.
- 'An' is used before words starting with a vowel sound.
- Many languages do not have articles at all.
Learner examples
- 'The' is a definite article.
- We use 'a' before a consonant sound.
- Use 'an' before a vowel sound.
- No article is needed here.
- Articles are small words before nouns.
Noun
B2
entity
3
a specific item or object
One thing of a type, often part of a group or list.
Usage pattern:
an article of [type]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with 'goods' or 'products', which are more commercial terms. 'Article' here can be broader and more formal.
Synonyms
item (More general and common in everyday speech.)
|
object (More formal and physical focus.)
Antonyms
whole (Refers to the complete set or entirety rather than one part.)
Collocations
article of clothing
|article of furniture
|stolen articles
Themes
commerce
|law
|core_vocabulary
|daily_life
Examples
- The store sells many articles of clothing.
- Several stolen articles were recovered by the police.
- Each article in the shipment was checked for damage.
- This museum displays rare articles from ancient times.
- He donated several household articles to charity.
Learner examples
- I bought three articles of clothing.
- This box has many small articles.
- The police found the stolen articles.
- That shop sells articles for camping.
- We have old articles in the attic.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
4
numbered section in legal text
A numbered part of a law or agreement.
Usage pattern:
Article [number] of [document]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse 'article' in this sense with newspaper articles; context in legal settings is crucial.
Synonyms
clause (Often shorter and part of a larger section; less formal than 'article' in legal writing.)
Antonyms
preamble (An introduction to a legal document, not a specific numbered section.)
Collocations
Article 5 of the Constitution
|treaty articles
|articles of agreement
Themes
law
|government
|business
|communication
Examples
- Article 1 of the agreement defines key terms.
- The treaty consists of twenty articles.
- Under Article 3, both parties must share information.
- They proposed changes to Article 7 of the constitution.
- Each article outlines specific obligations.
Learner examples
- Article 2 talks about rights.
- This law has ten articles.
- We read Article 5 together.
- Article 4 is very important.
- They changed Article 6 last year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
article
IPA
GB/ˈɑɹtɪkəl/
US/ˈɑɹtɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
art - icle (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (art)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: article
- Plural: articles
Word family
Forms
articles
noun
Expressions
articles of association
1/ˈɑɹtɪkəlz əv əsˌoʊʃiˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
company's official rules document
A legal paper that says how a company works and its rules.
Examples
- The company's articles of association were updated last year.
- You must follow the procedures outlined in the articles of association.
article of clothing
1/ˈɑɹtɪkəl əv klˈoʊðɪŋ/
fixed phrase
single item of clothing
One piece of clothing, like a shirt or pants.
Examples
- Each article of clothing was neatly folded in the suitcase.
- She bought a new article of clothing for the party.
- She donated several articles of clothing to the charity.
- A scarf is a useful article of clothing in winter.
articles of incorporation
1/ˈɑɹtɪkəlz əv ɪŋkˌɔɹpɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
founding document of a corporation
The main legal paper that starts a corporation and gives basic information like its name, purpose, and where it is formed.
Examples
- The lawyer filed the articles of incorporation with the state office.
- The lawyer filed the articles of incorporation with the state agency.
- Without articles of incorporation, the business cannot operate as a corporation.
- Before raising money, they carefully reviewed the articles of incorporation.
- Any change to the company’s name must first be reflected in the articles of incorporation.