adjective

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English adjectif, adjective, from Old French adjectif, from Latin adiectivus, from adiciō + -īvus, from ad- (“to, towards, at”) + iaciō (“throw”). The Latin word adiectivus in turn was a calque of Ancient Greek ἐπιθετικόν (epithetikón, “added”), a derivative of the compound verb ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi), from which also comes epithet. === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/, /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɛk.tɪv/, /ˈæd͡ʒ.ək.tɪv/, /ˈæd͡ʒ.ə.tɪv/ (Indic) IPA(key): /əɖˈdʒɛk.ʈɪʋ/ === Noun === adjective (plural adjectives) (grammar) A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes a noun’s referent. (obsolete) A dependent; an accessory. ==== Synonyms ==== See Thesaurus:adjective ==== Hyponyms ==== ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Adjective === adjective (not comparable) (grammar) Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective. Synonym: adjectival (law) Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure. Synonym: procedural Antonym: substantive (chemistry, of a dye) Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed. Antonym: substantive (obsolete, reflected in the chemical sense, but extinct as a general sense) Incapable of independent function. 1899, John Jay Chapman, Emerson and Other Essays, AMS Press (1969) (as reproduced in Project Gutenberg) In fact, God is of not so much importance in Himself, but as the end towards which man tends. That irreverent person who said that Browning uses “God” as a pigment made an accurate criticism of his theology. In Browning, God is adjective to man. Synonyms: dependent, derivative Coordinate terms: adjunct, adjunctive, adjutant ==== Translations ==== === Verb === adjective (third-person singular simple present adjectives, present participle adjectiving, simple past and past participle adjectived) (transitive) To make an adjective of; to form or convert into an adjective. 1805, John Horne Tooke, Epea Pteroenta: or The Diversions of Purley Part 2 Language has as much occasion to adjective the distinct signification of the verb, and to adjective also the mood, as it has to adjective time. It has […] adjectived all three. (transitive, chiefly as a participle) To characterize with an adjective; to describe by using an adjective. ==== Synonyms ==== adjectify adjectivize ==== Translations ==== === See also === (converting into or using as another part of speech) adjectivize/adjectivise, adjective, adjectify adverbialize/adverbialise, (rare) adverb, (rare) adverbify, adverbize nominalize/nominalise, substantivize/substantivise, noun, (rare) nounify, substantify, (very rare) substantive verbalize/verbalise, (colloquial) verb, verbify == French == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): /a.dʒɛk.tiv/ === Adjective === adjective feminine singular of adjectif == Latin == === Adjective === adjectīve vocative masculine singular of adjectīvus == Portuguese == === Verb === adjective inflection of adjectivar: first/third-person singular present subjunctive third-person singular imperative == Romanian == === Pronunciation === IPA(key): [ad.ʒekˈti.ve] === Noun === adjective plural of adjectiv == Scots == === Etymology === (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.) From Latin (nomen) adjectivum. === Noun === adjective (plural adjectives) (grammar) adjective