Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Adjective

Ad′jec-tive

(ăd′jĕk-tĭv)
,
Adj.
[See
Adjective
,
Noun.
]
1.
Added to a substantive as an attribute; of the nature of an adjunct;
as, an
adjective
word or sentence
.
2.
Not standing by itself; dependent.
Adjective color
,
a color which requires to be fixed by some mordant or base to give it permanency.
3.
Relating to procedure.
“The whole English law, substantive and adjective.”
Macaulay.

Ad′jec-tive

,
Noun.
[L.
adjectivum
(sc.
nomen
), neut. of
adjectivus
that is added, fr.
adjicere
: cf. F.
adjectif
. See
Adject
.]
1.
(Gram.)
A word used with a noun, or substantive, to express a quality of the thing named, or something attributed to it, or to limit or define it, or to specify or describe a thing, as distinct from something else. Thus, in phrase, “a wise ruler,” wise is the adjective, expressing a property of ruler.
2.
A dependent; an accessory.
Fuller.

Ad′jec-tive

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Adjectived
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Adjectiving
.]
To make an adjective of; to form or change into an adjective.
[R.]
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.
Tooke.

Webster 1828 Edition


Adjective

AD'JECTIVE

,
Noun.
In grammar, a word used with a noun, to express a quality of the thing named, or something attributed to it, or to limit or define it, or to specify or describe a thing, as distinct from something else. It is called also an attributive or attribute. Thus, in the phrase, a wise ruler, wise is the adjective or attribute, expressing a particular property of ruler.

Definition 2024


adjective

adjective

See also: adjectivé

English

Adjective

adjective (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Incapable of independent function.
    • 1899, John Jay Chapman, Emerson and Other Essays, AMS Press (1969) (as reproduced in Project Gutenberg)
      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.
  2. (grammar) Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.
  3. (law) Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure.
    • Macaulay
      The whole English law, substantive and adjective.
  4. (chemistry, of a dye) Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • (applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure): substantive
  • (of a dye that needs the use of a mordant): substantive

Translations

Noun

adjective (plural adjectives)

  1. (grammar) A word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent.
    The words “big” and “heavy” are English adjectives.
  2. (obsolete) A dependent; an accessory.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)

Synonyms

  • See Wikisaurus:adjective

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

adjective (third-person singular simple present adjectives, present participle adjectiving, simple past and past participle adjectived)

  1. (transitive) To make an adjective of; to form or convert into an adjective.
    • Tooke
      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.
    • 1832, William Hunter, An Anglo-Saxon grammar, and derivatives (page 46)
      In English, instead of adjectiving our own substantives, we have borrowed, in immense numbers, adjectived signs from other languages []

Translations


French

Adjective

adjective

  1. feminine singular of adjectif

Interlingue

Noun

adjective

  1. (grammar) adjective

Latin

Adjective

adjectīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of adjectīvus

Romanian

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): [ad.ʒekˈti.ve]

Noun

adjective

  1. plural of adjectiv

Scots

Noun

adjective (plural adjectives)

  1. (grammar) adjective