adjective
adjective Lexical Profile
adjective Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A word or lexical class that modifies, describes, or specifies the attributes or states of a noun or pronoun.
"Careful writers prefer strong, precise nouns and verbs rather than relying on a string of repetitive adjectives."
• adjective
Relating to, functioning as, or having the grammatical nature of an adjective.
"In the sentence, the participial phrase serves an adjective function by modifying the subject."
Relating to legal procedure, practice, and the rules for enforcing rights and obligations, as distinguished from substantive law.
"The appellate court's ruling centered on a technical point of adjective law rather than the underlying merits of the dispute."
Designating a dye that requires the use of a mordant or fixing agent to bind permanently to textile fibers.
"Most natural plant extracts are adjective dyes that fade quickly unless the fabric is pre-treated with alum or iron."
Word Nuance & Usage
When describing something that relates to or functions as an adjective in grammar, the derived form 'adjectival' is generally preferred over using 'adjective' as a modifier (except in established legal phrases such as 'adjective law').
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'adjectif', from Late Latin 'adiectivum' (short for 'nomen adiectivum', meaning 'attributive word added to a noun'), a calque of Ancient Greek 'epitheton' derived from Latin 'adicere' ('to throw or place near, add to').