Adjective: meaning, definitions and examples

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adjective

 

[ ˈadʒɪktɪv ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

grammar

A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it.

Synonyms

descriptive word, qualifying word.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
adjective

Commonly used in educational settings to teach grammar, especially to identify parts of speech.

  • Can you underline all the adjectives in this paragraph?
descriptive word

Informal term often used in everyday conversation to refer to words that describe something.

  • Happy, sad, and tall are all descriptive words.
qualifying word

A more technical term that may be used in linguistic or academic contexts to refer to words that qualify or characterize nouns.

  • A qualifying word can significantly change the meaning of a sentence.

Examples of usage

  • The word 'beautiful' in the sentence 'She is a beautiful girl' is an adjective.
  • In the phrase 'big house', the word 'big' is an adjective describing the noun 'house'.
Context #2 | Noun

general

A word or phrase that describes a person or thing as having a particular quality.

Synonyms

descriptor, qualifier.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
adjective

Similar to the first context but can be used in general conversation to explain a word that gives more information about a noun.

  • When you say 'that large house,' 'large' is the adjective.
descriptor

Used to indicate a word or phrase that describes the properties or characteristics of a noun. Often used in computer science, data analysis, or coding.

  • In our database, 'editable' is a descriptor for the field status.
qualifier

Used in grammar to specify or clarify a noun or pronoun, usually indicating the degree or extent. Often used in more formal or detailed explanations.

  • The word 'somewhat' in 'somewhat tired' is a qualifier that modifies 'tired.'

Examples of usage

  • The adjective 'brave' describes someone who is not afraid of danger.
  • When we say 'delicious food', 'delicious' is the adjective describing the quality of the food.
Context #3 | Noun

linguistics

A word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of numerous languages and typically serving as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named, to indicate its quantity or extent, or to specify a thing as distinct from something else.

Synonyms

describing word, qualifying word.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
adjective

Generally used in grammatical or educational contexts to refer to words that describe nouns or pronouns.

  • In the sentence 'The tall man', 'tall' is an adjective
describing word

Commonly used in everyday language, especially when explaining grammar to children or in casual conversation.

  • When you say 'blue car', 'blue' is a describing word
qualifying word

More technical or formal term, typically used in linguistic or scholarly contexts.

  • The term 'qualifying word' is used to describe words that specify attributes of a noun, such as 'interesting' in 'interesting book'

Examples of usage

  • In English, adjectives are often used to describe the nouns they modify.
  • The color adjectives 'red' and 'blue' describe different qualities of objects.

Translations

Translations of the word "adjective" in other languages:

🇵🇹 adjetivo

🇮🇳 विशेषण

🇩🇪 Adjektiv

🇮🇩 kata sifat

🇺🇦 прикметник

🇵🇱 przymiotnik

🇯🇵 形容詞(けいようし)

🇫🇷 adjectif

🇪🇸 adjetivo

🇹🇷 sıfat

🇰🇷 형용사

🇸🇦 صفة

🇨🇿 přídavné jméno

🇸🇰 prídavné meno

🇨🇳 形容词 (xíngróngcí)

🇸🇮 pridevnik

🇮🇸 lýsingarorð

🇰🇿 сын есім

🇬🇪 ზედსართავი

🇦🇿 sifət

🇲🇽 adjetivo

Etymology

The term 'adjective' originated from the Latin word 'adjectivus', which means 'added'. Adjectives have been an essential part of language and grammar since ancient times. The concept of describing or modifying nouns with additional attributes has been present across various languages and civilizations. Through the evolution of linguistics and grammar, adjectives have played a crucial role in enhancing the richness and precision of communication.

Word Frequency Rank

Position #9,521 indicates this is an advanced-level word. While not essential for basic communication, it will enhance your ability to understand and create more nuanced content.