expletive

== English == === Etymology === From Late Latin explētīvus (“serving to fill out”), from Latin explētus, the perfect passive participle of expleō (“fill out”), itself from ex (“out, completely”) + *pleō (“fill”). === Pronunciation === (UK) IPA(key): /ɪkˈspliːtɪv/ (US) IPA(key): /ˈɛksplətɪv/ === Adjective === expletive (comparative more expletive, superlative most expletive) Serving to fill up, merely for effect, otherwise redundant. Synonym: expletory Marked by expletives (phrase-fillers). ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== === Noun === expletive (plural expletives) A profane, vulgar term, notably a curse or obscene oath. Synonyms: swear word, bad word, oath (linguistics) A word without meaning added to fill a syntactic position. (linguistics) A word that adds to the strength of a phrase without affecting its meaning (such as fuckin in "there's no fuckin way he's gonna get away with it"). Synonym: intensifier An obscene or otherwise offensive interjection (such as shit, fuck, or damn it). Hypernym: interjection ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Translations ==== ==== See also ==== explicative === Further reading === expletive on Wikipedia.Wikipedia “expletive” in Webster’s Seventh New Collegiate Dictionary: Based on Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, 7th edition, Springfield, Mass.: G[eorge] & C[harles] Merriam, 1963 (1967 printing), →OCLC.