In English when used indefinitely they are characteristically preceded by some rather than a or an; they do not have normal plural formsCompare count noun. A mass noun is a noun that does not have a plural form. In English when used indefinitely they are characteristically preceded by some rather than a or an; they do not have normal plural forms A mass of people followed the procession. Here Are Our Top English Tips, The Best Articles To Improve Your English Language Usage, The Most Common English Language Questions. noun (2) Definition of mass (Entry 2 of 5) 1 a : a quantity or aggregate of matter usually of considerable size. mass noun (plural mass nouns) . Does English Have More Words Than Any Other Language? Uncountable noun can be defined as “They may be the names for abstract ideas or qualities or for physical objects that are too small or too amorphous to be counted (liquids, powders, gases, etc).” A noun denoting something that cannot be counted (e.g. An uncountable noun (also known as a mass noun) is one that cannot be counted. MASS NOUNS. In linguistics, a mass noun, uncountable noun, or non-count noun is a noun with the syntactic property that any quantity of it is treated as an undifferentiated unit, rather than as something with discrete elements. There is, however, a distinction in meaning. The mass noun is the opposite of the count nouns. Count nouns in the singular can follow an indefinite article (or another determiner): a plate, a bag, one diamond. Use detergent, and like count nouns when they refer to types or brands of substance, e.g. Conversely many countable nouns can also be used as mass nouns. Definition. You can’t say you have one air or three air. 2 n-count In some descriptions of grammar, a … Learn more. Names of people or places such as your name, your friend's name, your parents' name … An example of mass noun is motherhood. (4) : aggregate, whole men in the mass. So air is an uncountable … COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Noun []. Are You Learning English? Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Which of the following is a type of wild cat? a substance or quality), in English usually a noun which lacks a plural in ordinary usage and is not used with the indefinite article, e.g. In linguistics, a mass noun, uncountable noun, or non-count noun is a noun with the syntactic property that any quantity of it is treated as an undifferentiated unit, … Definition of Mass Nouns from our glossary of English linguistic and grammatical terms containing explanations and cross-references to other relevant English grammar terms. a substance or quality), in English usually a noun which lacks a plural in ordinary usage and is not used with the indefinite article, e.g. The idea is the same for all uncountable nouns. Mass: Sand Count: Five sacks of sand. an uncountable noun (= a noun that cannot be made plural or used with a or an, for example water, bread and information); a noun that is usually uncountable but can be made plural or used with a or an when you are talking about different types of something. A noun denoting something that cannot be counted (e.g. The definition of a mass noun is a noun that names something that cannot be counted. Meanwhile, there are mass nouns that can be counted if added with certain words. B2. b (1) : expanse, bulk. Change your default dictionary to American English. All that was left of the car was a mass of twisted metal. Join Macmillan Dictionary on Twitter and Facebook for daily word facts, quizzes and language news. We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website, including to provide targeted advertising and track usage. A mass noun is a noun such as ' wine ' which is usually uncount but is used with 'a' or 'an' or used in the plural when it refers to types of that substance, as in 'a range of Australian wines'. Define count noun: the definition of a count noun is a noun that can form a plural or occur with an indefinite article. china, happiness. Mass nouns (also called uncountable nouns or non-count nouns) are nouns that cannot be pluralized. With stone or some stone, the mass-noun uses, noun phrase refers to the material; with stones, the count-noun use, the noun phrase refers to individual items. See mass noun in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary A mass noun is a noun such as 'wine' which is usually uncount but is used with 'a' or 'an' or used in the plural when it refers to types of that substance, as in 'a range of Australian wines.' These mass nouns (which are sometimes called noncount nouns) usually have only singular forms— spaghetti, rice, and gold, for example. 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