Dangler

/ˈdæŋɡlər/ noun

Definition

A person or thing that dangles, or in grammar, a modifying phrase that doesn't clearly connect to what it's supposed to modify.

Etymology

From 'dangle' plus the agentive suffix '-er' (indicating one who does something). In grammar, 'dangling modifier' became shortened to 'dangler' in the 20th century.

Kelly Says

Grammar teachers have a special love-hate relationship with this word — a 'dangling modifier' is one of the most common mistakes students make, like 'Walking down the street, the tree looked beautiful' where 'walking' doesn't actually connect to the subject.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.