nonfictional prose forming an independent part of a publication
"The magazine's latest issue features a compelling article on the history of urban gardening that I couldn't put down."
(grammar) a determiner that may indicate the specificity of reference of a noun phrase
"When correcting her essay, the teacher pointed out that she had incorrectly used an article before a proper noun."
A piece of nonfictional writing such as a story, report, opinion piece, or entry in a newspaper, magazine, journal, dictionary, encyclopedia, etc.
"She read the latest article about climate change in the Sunday newspaper before breakfast."
In plain English: An article is a short piece of writing about a specific topic that you can read in a newspaper, magazine, or website.
"I read an interesting article about healthy eating in the newspaper this morning."
Usage: Use "article" to refer to a single unit of nonfictional writing found in newspapers, magazines, or online publications. Do not use it to describe the entire publication itself, such as a whole magazine or newspaper issue.
bind by a contract; especially for a training period
"The new recruit was bound to his employer by an article that required him to spend three years in intensive technical training before he could practice independently."
To bind by articles of apprenticeship.
"The master carpenter was legally bound to train the young boy under a formal article that lasted seven years."
In plain English: To article something means to officially record or document it as part of a formal report or history.
"The news article criticized the government's new policies."
Usage: Do not use the verb "article" to mean writing an article; instead, it specifically refers to formally entering into an apprenticeship agreement or contract with a master craftsman. This usage is now rare in modern English and should be avoided unless discussing historical trades or legal contracts from the past.
The word "article" comes from Latin articulus, originally meaning a joint or limb, before entering English via Old French to describe a grammatical unit or point in time. Its root relates to the concept of things being fitted together, reflecting how body parts connect at joints.