article
noun
Article — a single, particular item within a larger class of things
Definition
One of a class of artifacts; "an article of clothing"
In depth
An article is one specific instance drawn from a class of man-made objects, the word emphasizing membership in a category as much as individual identity — an article of clothing, an article of furniture, each one a single representative of a broader type. It also names, distinctly, a piece of writing, a usage that has nearly eclipsed the older sense in everyday speech.
Origin
The word descends from Latin articulus, a small joint or division, a diminutive of artus, joint or limb — the same root behind 'articulate.' Its sense of 'a distinct, joined-off piece' explains both its modern uses: an article of clothing is one joint of an outfit, just as a written article is one distinct, self-contained joint of a larger publication.
Usage examples
"She folded each article of clothing with the same careful precision her mother had taught her."
"The newspaper's lead article ran above the fold for three consecutive days."
"Among his late father's possessions, only a single article remained that he could not bear to part with."
How to use it
Article suits formal inventories, legal language, and journalism equally well; writers should be alert to its double life as both 'a single object of a type' and 'a piece of writing,' since context alone disambiguates the two meanings.
Related concepts
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