ejusdem generis

English dictionary entry

Meanings

phrase
  1. A canon of construction holding that when a general term follows a list of particular terms, the general term only applies to things similar to the particular terms. For example, in the list "sun, moon, and other large objects", the phrase "other large objects" only includes celestial bodies, not houses and elephants.

Word forms

ejusdem generis

Etymology

From Latin ejusdem generis ("of the same kind").

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