# syntax

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈsɪn.tæks/ · frequency rank #14,432

## Definitions
1. A set of rules that govern how words are combined to form phrases and sentences.
2. The formal rules of formulating the statements of a computer language.
3. The study of the structure of phrases, sentences, and language.

## Etymology
Partly from Late Latin syntaxis and partly from its etymon, Ancient Greek σύνταξις (súntaxis), from σύν (sún, “together”) + τάξις (táxis, “arrangement”), from τάσσω (tássō, “I arrange”). Doublet of syntaxis.

## Easily confused with
- **synth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/syntax-vs-synth)
- **Santa** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/santa-vs-syntax)

## Common misspellings (10)
`snytax`, `ssyntax`, `synatx`, `synntax`, `syntaxx`, `synttax`, `syntxa`, `sytnax`, `syyntax`, `ysntax`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/syntax