1. Plural of nonrestrictive; clauses or phrases that provide additional information about a noun without limiting or defining its meaning.
Usage: Grammar term; Also called appositives or non-defining clauses

1. Of or relating to clauses or phrases that add descriptive information without restricting the meaning of the noun they modify.
Usage: Grammar term; Typically set off by commas in writing

Examples

• In the sentence 'My sister, who lives in Boston, is a doctor,' the clause 'who lives in Boston' is a nonrestrictive relative clause.
• Nonrestrictives are typically separated from the main clause by commas.
• The phrase 'Albert Einstein, a brilliant physicist,' contains a nonrestrictive appositive.
• Unlike restrictives, nonrestrictives do not limit the identity of the noun they modify.
• Teachers often explain that nonrestrictives provide extra details rather than essential information.
• In formal writing, it is important to distinguish between restrictives and nonrestrictives.