asyndetically
|a-syn-det-ic-al-ly|
/ˌeɪsɪnˈdɛtɪk/
(asyndetic)
omitting conjunctions
Etymology
'asyndetically' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'asyndetos', where the prefix 'a-' meant 'not' and 'syndetos' meant 'bound together' or 'connected'.
'asyndetos' passed into Late Latin/Latin as 'asyndeton' and then into English as the noun 'asyndeton'; from the adjective 'asyndetic' the adverb 'asyndetically' was formed in modern English.
Initially it meant 'not bound together' or 'unconnected', but over time it evolved in rhetoric to mean 'without conjunctions' and the adverb came to mean 'in a manner that omits conjunctions' or 'briefly/terse'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner that omits conjunctions between parts of a sentence or phrase; without the usual linking words (rhetorical omission of conjunctions).
She listed the demands asyndetically: "Lower rent, better service, no late fees."
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Adverb 2
briefly or tersely, often producing an abrupt or punchy effect (by leaving out connectors).
The report described the results asyndetically, giving only the key figures.
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Last updated: 2025/10/29 11:47