Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

cataphor

Noun

/ˈkætəfɔr/

Definition

A reference word that refers forward to a later word or phrase in a sentence or text.

Examples

In the sentence, ‘When it was revealed, the secret surprised everyone,’ the word ‘it’ serves as a cataphor for ‘the secret.’
‘This is the man who helped us yesterday; he truly was a hero.’ Here, ‘he’ is a cataphor pointing to ‘the man.’

Meaning

In grammar, a cataphor is used to anticipate the described entity before it is explicitly mentioned in the context, helping to connect the ideas within the text.