Dictionary

adjective en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ə.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɛk.tɪv/
• (General-American) audio
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ək.tɪv/

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.

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.
2. (not-comparable) Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure.
   • The whole English law, substantive and adjective. 1849–1861, Thomas Babington Macaulay, chapter X, in The History of England from the Accession of James the Second, volume (please specify |volume=I to V), London: Longman, Brown, Green, and Longmans, →OCLC:
3. (not-comparable, of a dye) Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.
4. (not-comparable, obsolete, qualifier:reflected in the chemical sense; but extinct as a general sense; reflected in the chemical sense; but extinct as a general sense) Incapable of independent function.
   • 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. 1899, John Jay Chapman, Emerson and Other Essays, AMS Press (1969) (as reproduced in Project Gutenberg)

Antonyms

substantive · substantive

Coordinates

adjunct · adjunctive · adjutant

Synonyms

derivative · procedural · adjectival · dependent

Translations (21)

fr … de procédure (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · kmr rengdêr (incapable of independent function) · ja 手続き上の (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ro adjectiv (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ja 非独立性の (incapable of independent function) · de formal (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · pt adjetivo (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ia adjectival (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · kab arbib (incapable of independent function) · gl adxectivo (incapable of independent function) · nl formeel (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ja 依存性の (incapable of independent function) · ca adjectiu (incapable of independent function) · fy protokol (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ar إِجْرَائِيّ (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · pl przymiotnikowy (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · es adjetivo (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ia adjective (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · he נוהלי (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · he דיוני (methods of enforcement and rules of procedure) · ca adjectiu (of a dye that needs the use of a mordant)

adjective en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ə.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɛk.tɪv/
• (General-American) audio
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ək.tɪv/

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.

Meanings

1. A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes a noun’s referent.
   • The Brazilian football legend, who passed away in December, has been added to the Portuguese edition of the Michaelis dictionary as an adjective to describe someone or something “out of the ordinary.” 2023 April 27, George Ramsay, “Pelé added to Portuguese dictionary as an adjective for ‘out of the ordinary’”, in CNN, archived from the original on 19 Dec 2024:
   • The words “big” and “heavy” are English adjectives.
   • "We have fallen into the culture of adjectives and adverbs, and we have forgotten the strength of nouns," he said. 2019 September 24, Jessie Yeung, quoting Pope Francis, “Pope Francis loves nouns but is ‘allergic’ to adjectives”, in CNN, archived from the original on 27 Sep 2019:
   • "They'll have to invent new adjectives when I come back. You wait!" 1932, Delos W. Lovelace, King Kong, published 1965, page 8:
2. (obsolete) A dependent; an accessory.
   • it must be an adjective of dain 1655, Thomas Fuller, The History of the University of Cambridge, since the Conquest, [London]: [[…] Iohn Williams […]], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

adjectively · adjective law · phrasal adjective · adjectivehood · adjective pronoun · proadjective · adjectivity · common adjective · adjectivitis · nonadjective · adjective phrase · adjective verb · adjectivization · predicate adjective · proper adjective · な-adjective · adjective clause · adjectival · unadjectived · い-adjective · adjectiveless · adjective patterns · verbal adjective · deadjectival · adjectivism · adjective dye · overadjectived

Hypernyms

noun · word

Hyponyms

postpositive adjective · adjectivelike · demonstrative adjective · indefinite adjective · adjunct · nominalized adjective · cardinal adjective · substantive adjective · predicative adjective · na-adjective · possessive adjective · interrogative adjective · numerical adjective · descriptive adjective · privative adjective · limiting adjective · participial adjective · i-adjective · relational adjective · quasi-adjective · possessional adjective · ordinal adjective · prepositive adjective · relative adjective · attributive adjective · proper adjective

Synonyms

adjective · adnoun · adjective noun · noun adjective · description word · describing word

Translations (191)

jv tembung kahanan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nl adjectief ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ar صِفَة ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · kw hanow gwan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sw kivumishi ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sh prídev ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · he שֵׁם תֹּאַר ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · hi बिशेषण ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sh при́дјев ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · cy ansoddair ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · jv tembung sipat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · cs přídavné jméno n adjektivum ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · az sifət ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nn adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · th วิเศษณ์ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · es adjetivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · hsb adjektiw ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · yue 形容詞 /形容词 ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mn ᠲᠡᠮᠳᠡᠭ ᠨᠡᠷ᠎ᠡ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · de Beschreibungswort ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · li bievooglik naamwaord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pt adjetivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · gd buadhair ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · da adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · scn aggittivi ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fa-ira صِفَت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sv tilläggsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ta பெயரடை ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sq mbiemër ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sl pridevnik ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ln likonzámí ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tr sıfat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sq adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mn тэмдэг үг ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · br adanv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · uk прикме́тник ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sk prídavné meno ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fr adjectif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mt aġġettiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ia adjectivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · br anv-gwan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · dsb adjektiw ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · grc ἐπίθετον ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · eu adjektibo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ba сифат ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · eu izenondo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bg прилага́телно ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fi adjektiivi ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · lt būdvardis ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bua тэмдэгэй нэрэ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · rm adjectiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sa विशेषण ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ast axetivu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · hi विशेषण ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · alt јарталгыш ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · eo adjektivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · prs صِفَت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ar نَعْت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · kk сын есім ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pdt Ieejenschoftswuat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bcl panladawan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · co aggettivu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · wa addjectif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ne विशेषण ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ms kata sifat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ang tōġeīecendlīċ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · la (nōmen) adiectīvum ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nn eigenskapsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ks باوُت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · wal sunqquwa ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · oc adjectiu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ga aidiacht ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · de Eigenschaftswort ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ru и́мя прилага́тельное ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mi kupuāhua ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · vo ladyek ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pl przymiotnik ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fa-ira وَصْف ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · el επίθετο ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nds-de Adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · he שֵׁם תּוֹאַר ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tg сифат ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nb adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sh при́дев ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · an adchectivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · or ବିଶେଷଣ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tr önad ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · yi אַדיעקטיוו ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · da egenskabsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fy eigenskipswurd ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · zza sıfet (diq) ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ta உரிச்சொல் ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ms kata keadaan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bcl panmidbid ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ka ზედსართავი სახელი ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pi visesana ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ps صفت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · af byvoeglike naamwoord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · km គុណនាម ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mk придавка ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · myv раствал ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · de Adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pl adiektyw ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · zza vername (diq) ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · da tillægsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nb tilleggsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · be прыме́тнік ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · km វិសេសន ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ny mfotokozi ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · lv adjektīvs ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ca adjectiu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · haw haʻiʻano ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ms adjektif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · eo a-vorto ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · lv īpašības vārds ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nan-hbl 形容詞 /形容词 ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · cv паллӑ ячӗ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · kn ವಿಶೇಷಣ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · gl adxectivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · se adjektiiva ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mn тэмдэг нэр ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · vi tính từ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · co aghjettivu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nn tilleggsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ro adjectiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sv egenskapsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · cmn 形容詞 /形容词 ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · id kata sifat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · hu melléknév ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · my နာမဝိသေသန ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · hy ածական ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sv adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sh prídjev ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ky сын атооч ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · lo ຄຳຄຸນນາມ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ur صِفَت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · su adjéktif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fro nons adjectyfs ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ta பெயர் உரிச்சொல் ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ur بِشیشَن ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · id adjektiva ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · vro umahussyna ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mn ᠲᠡᠮᠳᠡᠭ ᠦᠭᠡ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · lb Adjektiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ko 형용사 ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fur agetîv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · zu isiphawulo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · grc ἐπιθετικόν ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fr nom adjectif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ml നാമവിശേഷണം ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · is lýsingarorð ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fo lýsingarorð ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · csb przëdownik ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · co agettivu ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · fi laatusana ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ru прилага́тельное ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nrf adjectif ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · gv marennym ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · it aggettivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tt сыйфат ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · crh sıfat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · de Wiewort ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tl pang-uri ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · qu sutip rampaqnin ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · id kata keadaan ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bn বিশেষণ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · rmf adjektiivos ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · te విశేషణము ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · bg прилага́телно и́ме ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · vi hình dung từ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · de Beiwort ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nb eigenskapsord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · et omadussõna ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · arc גדשניא ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · nl bijvoeglijk naamwoord ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ar وَصْف ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · rsk прикметнїк ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · et adjektiiv ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ce билгалдош ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ja 形容動詞 ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · mr विशेषण ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · kl pissusilerissut ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · pap athetivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · tk sypat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · io adjektivo ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · sw sifa ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · ug سۈپەت ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · uz sifat ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · th นามวิเศษณ์ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · am ቅጽል ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent) · th คุณศัพท์ ((grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent)

wikidata: Q34698

adjective en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ə.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɛk.tɪv/
• (General-American) audio
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/
• /ˈæd͡ʒ.ək.tɪv/

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.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make an adjective of; to form or convert into an adjective.
   • In English, instead of adjectiving our own substantives, we have borrowed, in immense numbers, adjectived signs from other languages[…] 1832, William Hunter, An Anglo-Saxon grammar, and derivatives, page 46:
   • 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. 1805, John Horne Tooke, Epea Pteroenta: or The Diversions of Purley Part 2
2. (as a participle, transitive) To characterize with an adjective; to describe by using an adjective.
   • For quotations using this term, see Citations:adjective.

Forms

Synonyms

adjectify · adjectivize

Translations (10)

fr adjectiver (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · pl adiektywizować (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · fr adjectiviser (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · el επιθετοποιώ (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · pt adjetivar (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · fr adjectivaliser (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · es adjetivar (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · it aggettivare (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · pl zadiektywizować (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize) · fi muuntaa adjektiiviksi (to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize)