adjective

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adjective

/ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/
/ˈæd͡ʒ.ɛk.tɪv/
/ˈæd͡ʒ.ək.tɪv/
/ˈæd͡ʒ.ə.tɪv/

Where it comes from

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.

noun adjectives

A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes a noun’s referent. The words “big” and “heavy” are English adjectives.
obsolete A dependent; an accessory. it must be an adjective of dain

adjective

not comparable Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.
Similar: adjectival
not comparable Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure. The whole English law, substantive and adjective.
Similar: procedural · Opposite: substantive
not comparable, of a dye Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.
Opposite: substantive
not comparable, obsolete 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.
Similar: dependent, derivative

verb adjectives · adjectiving · adjectived

transitive To make an adjective of; to form or convert into an adjective. 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.
transitive, as a participle To characterize with an adjective; to describe by using an adjective. For quotations using this term, see Citations:adjective.

Similar: adjectify, adjectivize

Thesaurus

Closest in meaning: adjectival, procedural, word, reference, expression, description, capacity, term, qualifier, attributive, modifier, descriptor, descriptive, qualificative, epithet, describer

noun

verb

Similar: adjectify, adjectivize

Translations

Every language

noun (grammar) a word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent

Español	adjetivo
한국어	형용사 hyeong'yongsa
日本語	形容動詞 keiyō-dōshi
中文	形容詞 /形容词 xíngróngcí
हिन्दी	बिशेषण biśeṣaṇ, विशेषण viśeṣaṇ
Kiswahili	kivumishi, sifa
Português	adjetivo
Français	nom adjectif, adjectif
Deutsch	Adjektiv, Eigenschaftswort, Beiwort, Wiewort, Beschreibungswort
Italiano	aggettivo
Ελληνικά	επίθετο epítheto
Română	adjectiv
Русский	и́мя прилага́тельное ímja prilagátelʹnoje, прилага́тельное prilagátelʹnoje
Tiếng Việt	tính từ, hình dung từ
العربية	نَعْت naʕt, صِفَة ṣifa, وَصْف waṣf
עברית	שֵׁם תּוֹאַר, שֵׁם תֹּאַר shem to'ar

adj methods of enforcement and rules of procedure

Español	adjetivo
日本語	手続き上の tetsudzukijō no
Português	adjetivo
Français	… de procédure
Deutsch	formal
Română	adjectiv
العربية	إِجْرَائِيّ ʔijrāʔiyy
עברית	דיוני diyuní, נוהלי noholí

adj incapable of independent function

日本語	非独立性の hidokuritsusei no, 依存性の izonsei no

verb to make an adjective of — see also adjectivize

Español	adjetivar
Português	adjetivar
Français	adjectiver, adjectiviser, adjectivaliser
Italiano	aggettivare
Ελληνικά	επιθετοποιώ epithetopoió

Talk about this word

Cite this

MLA

"adjective." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/adjective. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

adjective. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/adjective

Chicago

"adjective." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/adjective.

BibTeX

@misc{adjective_2026,
  title = {adjective},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/adjective},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}