adjective

Borrowed from Old French adjectif, from Latin adiectīvum, from ad (“next to”) + -iect-, perfect passive participle of iaciō (“throw”) + -īvus, adjective ending; hence, a word "thrown next to" a noun, modifying it. This in turn was a calque of Ancient Greek ἐπιθετικόν (epithetikón, “added”), a derivative of the compound verb ἐπιτίθημι (epitíthēmi), from which also comes epithet.

• IPA^(key): /ˈæ.d͡ʒɪk.tɪv/, /ˈæ.d͡ʒə(k).tɪv/

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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?)

• See Thesaurus: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.

   Synonyms: dependent, derivative

2. (grammar) Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.

   Synonym: adjectival

3. (law) Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure.
   • Macaulay

     The whole English law, substantive and adjective.

   Synonym: procedural

   Antonym: substantive

4. (chemistry, of a dye) Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.

   Antonym: substantive

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 […]

• IPA^(key): /a.dʒɛk.tiv/

adjective

1. feminine singular of adjectif

adjective

1. (grammar) adjective

adjectīve

1. vocative masculine singular of adjectīvus

• IPA^(key): [ad.ʒekˈti.ve]

adjective

1. plural of adjectiv

adjective (plural adjectives)

1. (grammar) adjective