verbal
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verbal
- /ˈvɜː.bəl/ Australia, UK
- [ˈvɜː.bɫ̩] Australia, UK
- /ˈvɝ.bəl/ Canada, US
- [ˈvɝ.bɫ̩] Canada, US
Rhymes with -ɜː(ɹ)bəl
Where it comes from
From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.
adjective
-
Of or relating to words.
Similar: wordish
-
Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text.
a purely verbal distinction
Opposite: substantive
- Consisting of words only. We subjoin an engraving […] which will give the reader a far better notion of the structure than any verbal description could convey to the mind.
- Expressly spoken rather than written; oral. a verbal contract
-
Derived from, or having the nature of a verb.
Similar: rhematic
- Used to form a verb.
-
Capable of speech.
How do these language problems affect the behaviour of verbal children?
Opposite: preverbal, non-verbal
- Word for word. a verbal translation
- Abounding with words; verbose. You put me to forget a lady’s manners By being so verbal; and learn now, for all, That I, which know my heart, do here pronounce By th’ very truth of it, I care not for you
noun verbals
-
A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
Similar: non-finite verb
- A spoken confession given to police. They were convicted on the evidence of an agent provocateur named Richard Seary, backed up by police verbals from three police officers who gave evidence of six verbals in which the three accused were supposed to have admitted their guilt.
- Talk; speech, especially banter or scolding. We'd give him a bit of verbal, out would come the bouncers, chucking their weight about, and it would all end in a right tear-up.
verb verbals · verbaling · verballing · verbaled · verballed
- To allege (usually falsely) that someone has made an oral admission. The problem of 'verballing' is unlikely to disappear, whatever the legal status of the person detained.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: spoken, communicatory, prolix, communicative, rhetorical, linguistic, textual, language, word, vocal, psychological, unwritten, orally, oral, verbale, voiced
Translations
Every language
adj of, or relating to words
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| 中文 | 詞的 /词的 cí de |
| हिन्दी | शाब्दिक śābdik |
| Português | verbal |
| Français | verbal |
| Deutsch | wörtlich, verbal |
| Italiano | verbale |
| Ελληνικά | λεκτικός lektikós |
| Română | verbal, oral |
| Русский | слове́сный slovésnyj, верба́льный verbálʹnyj |
| العربية | كَلَامِيّ kalāmiyy, لَفْظِيّ lafẓiyy, شَفَهِيّ šafahiyy |
adj concerned with the words
| हिन्दी | शाब्दिक śābdik |
|---|---|
| Português | verbal |
| Ελληνικά | λεκτικός lektikós |
| Русский | слове́сный slovésnyj, верба́льный verbálʹnyj |
adj consisting of words only
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| Português | verbal |
| Français | verbal |
| Italiano | verbale |
| Русский | слове́сный slovésnyj, речево́й rečevój |
adj spoken and not written; oral
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| Português | verbal, oral |
| Français | oral, verbal |
| Deutsch | mündlich, verbal |
| Ελληνικά | προφορικός proforikós |
| Română | verbal, oral |
| Русский | у́стный ústnyj |
| العربية | شَفَهِيّ šafahiyy, شَفَوِيّ šafawiyy, مَنْطُوق manṭūq |
adj expressly spoken or written, as opposed to implied
| Português | verbal |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | προφορικός proforikós |
| Русский | слове́сный slovésnyj |
adj derived from, or having the nature of a verb
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| Português | verbal |
| Français | verbal |
| Deutsch | zeitwörtlich, verbal |
| Ελληνικά | ρηματικός rimatikós |
| Română | verbal |
| Русский | глаго́льный glagólʹnyj, отглаго́льный otglagólʹnyj |
adj used to form a verb
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| Ελληνικά | ρηματικός rimatikós |
| Русский | глаго́льный glagólʹnyj |
noun grammar: verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals
| Español | verbal |
|---|---|
| Italiano | deverbale |
| Русский | нели́чная фо́рма глаго́ла nelíčnaja fórma glagóla |
Talk about this word "verbal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/verbal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. verbal. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/verbal "verbal." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/verbal.Cite this
@misc{verbal_2026,
title = {verbal},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/verbal},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
