1. the quality or state of being marked or distinguished by a particular characteristic
Usage: formal; linguistics
2. in linguistics, the property of a linguistic feature that is less common, more complex, or requires special conditions compared to its unmarked counterpart
Usage: technical; linguistics

Examples

• The markedness of the plural form in English is evident in words like 'children' versus 'child'.
• Linguists study the markedness of certain grammatical constructions across languages.
• The markedness of passive voice makes it less frequent than active voice in everyday speech.
• In phonology, the markedness of certain sounds affects their distribution in languages.
• The concept of markedness helps explain why some linguistic features are acquired later by children.
• Cross-linguistic studies reveal patterns of markedness in vowel systems.