syntactic expletive

noun

A pronoun that is used at the start of a sentence or clause when the referent is not immediately known, but an argument for the verb is syntactically required.

“In the sentences "It is a hammer that is needed." and "There are hammers in the toolbox.", both "it" and "there" are syntactic expletives.”

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Meanings

nounsyntactic expletive (plural syntactic expletives)

plural syntactic expletives

  1. human sciencesA pronoun that is used at the start of a sentence or clause when the referent is not immediately known, but an argument for the verb is syntactically required.

    In the sentences "It is a hammer that is needed." and "There are hammers in the toolbox.", both "it" and "there" are syntactic expletives.

Cite this entry
APA

syntactic expletive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syntactic%20expletive

MLA

“syntactic expletive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syntactic%20expletive. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “syntactic expletive,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/syntactic%20expletive.

Source: syntactic expletive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.