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)