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Inflectional Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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inflectional

[ɪnˈflɛkʃənl ]

Definition

Context #1 | Adjective

grammar terminology

Inflectional refers to the grammatical feature of words that change form to express different grammatical functions such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, and case. Inflectional morphemes are used in many languages to indicate such variations, making them essential in the study of linguistics.

Synonyms

grammatical, morphemic.

Examples of usage

  • The inflectional suffix '-ed' indicates past tense.
  • In Latin, verbs show inflectional variations for different persons.
  • English has fewer inflectional endings compared to other languages.
  • Inflectional languages often have complex verb conjugations.
  • The plural form of nouns is an example of inflectional morphology.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'inflectional'

The term 'inflectional' is derived from the Latin 'inflectere', meaning 'to bend' or 'to turn'. This reflects the way words change form to convey different grammatical meanings. The concept emerged as linguists studied how languages adapt and modify word forms over time. Inflectional morphology focuses on how these changes occur in various languages, revealing insights into the underlying structure and rules governing language development. Over centuries, the study of inflectional forms has been fundamental in comparative linguistics, language education, and understanding the evolution of languages.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #26,383, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.