noun

1. A clause, phrase or word which is inserted (usually for explanation or amplification) into a passage which is already grammatically complete, and usually marked off with brackets, commas or dashes.

2. Either of a pair of brackets, especially round brackets, ( and ) (used to enclose parenthetical material in a text).

3. A digression; the use of such digressions.

Synonyms: parenthesis-point, round bracket, paren