The structure of strings in some language. A language' s syntax is described by a grAMmar. For exAMple, the syntax of a binary number could be expressed as binary_number = bit [ binary_number ] bit = "0" | "1" meaning that a binary number is a bit optionally followed by a binary number and a bit is a literal zero or one digit. The meaning of the language is given by its semantics. See also abstract syntax, concrete syntax. (1994-10-31)