mass noun

mass noun
noun Date: 1933 a noun (as sand or water) that characteristically denotes in many languages a homogeneous substance or a concept without subdivisions and that in English is preceded in indefinite singular constructions by some rather than a or an — compare count noun

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • mass noun — mass nouns 1) N COUNT A mass noun is a noun such as wine which is usually uncount but is used with a or an or used in the plural when it refers to types of that substance, as in a range of Australian wines . 2) N COUNT In some descriptions of… …   English dictionary

  • mass noun — ► NOUN ▪ a noun denoting something which cannot be counted, in English usually a noun which has no plural form and is not used with a or an, e.g. luggage, happiness. Contrasted with COUNT NOUN(Cf. ↑count noun) …   English terms dictionary

  • mass noun — mass ,noun noun count LINGUISTICS a noun such as coffee that is usually UNCOUNTABLE but can be used in the plural or with the INDEFINITE article, for example when you are talking about different types of coffee …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • mass noun — mass′ noun n. gram. a noun, as water, electricity, or happiness, that typically refers to an indefinitely divisible substance or an abstract notion and that in English cannot be used, in such a sense, with the indefinite article or in the plural… …   From formal English to slang

  • mass noun — ☆ mass noun n. a noun denoting an abstraction or something that is uncountable, and not preceded by a or an: it is typically in a singular construction, but may be singular or plural in form (Ex.: love, girlhood, butter, news): cf. COUNT NOUN …   English World dictionary

  • Mass noun — Not to be confused with Collective noun. Examples advice air art blood butter deodorant equipment food furniture garbage graffiti grass homework housework information …   Wikipedia

  • mass noun — /ˈmæs naʊn/ (say mas nown) noun a noun referring to something which is being presented as indivisible into separate entities, whether it is concrete, as butter, or abstract, as unfriendliness. Compare count noun. Also, non count noun, uncount… …  

  • mass noun — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms mass noun : singular mass noun plural mass nouns linguistics a noun such as coffee that is usually uncountable but can be used in the plural or with the indefinite article, for example when you are talking… …   English dictionary

  • mass noun — noun A noun that normally cannot be counted. Syn: non count noun, uncountable noun Ant: countable noun, count noun …   Wiktionary

  • mass noun — noun Grammar a noun denoting something which cannot be counted, in English usually a noun which lacks a plural in ordinary usage and is not used with the indefinite article, e.g. luggage, happiness. Contrasted with count noun …   English new terms dictionary

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