Anarthrous

Anarthrous is a linguistic term used to describe a noun phrase that lacks a definite article. The word comes from Greek, where "anarthros" means "without the article." In languages that have definite or indefinite articles, anarthrous forms are contrasted with arthrous forms, i.e., noun phrases that bear the article.

In Greek grammar, anarthrous nouns appear without the definite article ho, he, or to. Classical and Koine Greek do not have a separate indefinite article, so indefiniteness is often expressed by a numeral (such as mia or enas for "a" or "one") or by context. Anarthrous nouns can be indefinite, but they can also be definite, depending on factors such as context, possessive or demonstrative modifiers, or their status as proper nouns. For example, a common noun used in a general or generic sense may be anarthrous, while a proper noun or a noun in apposition may be understood as definite even without an article.

The presence or absence of the definite article in Greek is thus not a simple indicator of definiteness or indefiniteness on its own. Scholars examine anarthrous usage to determine whether a given noun phrase conveys indefiniteness, definiteness by context, or other semantic or syntactic considerations, particularly in biblical and classical texts.

Beyond Greek, the term anarthrous is occasionally used in cross-linguistic discussions of article systems, but it is most commonly encountered in studies of Greek grammar and New Testament Greek, where the distinction between arthrous and anarthrous NP forms is a key feature of analysis.

See also: Definite article, Greek grammar, Anarthrous usage in New Testament studies.