claused

Claused is an adjective formed from clause. It is not a standard or widely used term in formal grammar, where most descriptions focus on sentence types such as simple, complex, compound, or compound-complex. When used, claused typically indicates that a text contains one or more clauses, often implying multiple clauses rather than a single independent clause.

In linguistics, a clause is a syntactic unit that contains a verb and its constituents. Sentences are built from clauses that can be coordinated (joined on equal footing) or subordinated (embedded within another clause). A sentence with a single clause is usually not described as claused in formal descriptions, whereas a sentence featuring multiple clauses is the kind of structure most likely to be referred to as claused in informal usage.

Examples commonly discussed in grammar include complex sentences, such as "When the sun sets, the sky darkens," which combines a dependent clause with an independent clause, and compound sentences like "The sun set, and the stars appeared," which join two independent clauses. A sentence that contains multiple independent clauses and at least one dependent clause is often labeled compound-complex, another form that would be described as claused in casual discourse.

In legal writing, clauses are distinct provisions within contracts or statutes. A document may be described as claused to signal that it contains numerous specific clauses, such as indemnification, confidentiality, or termination provisions. Here too, claused is informal; the standard practice is to reference the individual clauses or the overall structure of the document.

Etymology: claused derives from clause, with the suffix -ed forming an adjective.