“Parens” is a short word for parentheses, the curved punctuation marks ( ). People use it when they want to refer to those marks in a quick, informal way.
In everyday writing and editing, “parens” is often used when talking about adding extra information, comments, or side notes in a sentence. You may also hear it in grammar, coding, or proofreading when someone says something should go “in parens.”
Meaning & Usage
“Parens” means parentheses. It usually refers to the two curved brackets used to set off extra details in a sentence.
Example: Put the date in parens. This means to put the date inside ( ).
Examples
1. She added her nickname in parens after her full name.
2. The editor asked me to move that note into parens.
3. In coding, parens are often used for grouping.
What are parens in writing?
In writing, parens are the curved marks ( ) used to add extra information without interrupting the main sentence.
Is “parens” the same as parentheses?
Yes. “Parens” is just a shorter, informal way to say “parentheses.”
Where do people use the word “parens”?
People use it in editing, grammar, coding, and casual conversation when talking about the symbols ( ).
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