indefinite article

noun

, Grammar.

1. an article, as English a, an, that denotes class membership of the noun it modifies without particularizing it.

indefinite article

noun

1. grammar a determiner that expresses nonspecificity of reference, such as a, an, or some Compare definite article

indefinite article

1. The word a or an introducing an unspecified noun or the name of a general category: “a dog,” “an apple,” “an orange.” An is used when the next word begins with a vowel or a silent (unpronounced) h , as in “an egg” or “an hour.”

Word History and Origins

Origin of indefinite article¹

First recorded in 1720–30

Example Sentences

But this move, switching from the definite to the indefinite article, still yields some rather troubling conclusions.

From Salon

The "n" detached itself from the "-apron" and instead joined up with the indefinite article "a" — resulting in what we now call "an apron" today.

From Salon

Ich bin Berliner is how most Berlin natives would express the sentiment, but the president was actually showing off a complex understanding of German when he added the indefinite article.

From Salon

The government argued that “a,” as an “indefinite article,” may refer to something “provided in more than one installment”: “a story” published serially, for instance, or “a manuscript” delivered chapter by chapter.

From Slate

I thought a singular noun should always follow the singular indefinite article “a.”

From Washington Post