parse

1 of 2

verb

ˈpärs 

 chiefly British  ˈpärz

parsed; parsing

transitive verb

1

a

: to divide (a sentence) into grammatical parts and identify the parts and their relations to each other

b

: to describe (a word) grammatically by stating the part of speech and explaining the inflection (see inflection sense 2a) and syntactical relationships

2

: to examine in a minute way : analyze critically

having trouble parsing … explanations for dwindling market shares

—R. S. Anson

intransitive verb

1

: to give a grammatical description of a word or a group of words

2

: to admit of being parsed

parse

2 of 2

noun

: a product or an instance of parsing

Did you know?

If parse brings up memories of learning the parts of speech in school, you've done your homework regarding this word. Parsing sentences, after all, is part and parcel of learning to read and write. Parse comes from the first element of the Latin term for "part of speech," pars orationis. It's an old word that has been used since at least the mid 1500s, but it was not until the late 1700s that parse graduated to its extended, non-grammar-related sense of "to examine in a minute way" or "to analyze critically." Remember this extended sense, and you'll really be at the head of the class.

Examples of parse in a Sentence

Verb

Students were asked to parse the sentence.

Economists parsed the census data.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

In two separate movie projects within the space of a year, A Family Affair and Babygirl, Nicole Kidman parses the power differentials at play when older women find fulfillment with younger men. —Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2025

Comings and goings are meticulously parsed, in such a way that actions seen on camera often reverberate with enormous off-camera implications. —Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 5 Feb. 2025

In their news release announcing the decision — which analysts typically parse for signs of the path ahead — Fed officials struck a more cautious tone on inflation. —Steve Kopack, NBC News, 29 Jan. 2025

But the details of the president's message about interest rates, inflation, and oil prices are worth parsing. —Neil Irwin, Axios, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Latin pars orationis part of speech

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1568, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

1963, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

parse

verb

ˈpärs,

ˈpärz

parsed; parsing

1

: to analyze a sentence by naming its parts and their relations to each other

2

: to give the part of speech of a word and explain its relation to other words in a sentence