adjective
adjectival
aj-ik-TY-vuhl
Adjectival (adjective) means relating to an adjective or working in the way an adjective does. Example: “'Red' is used in an adjectival way in 'the red door'.”
adjective
1
grammar Relating to an adjective or working in the way an adjective does.
"'Red' is used in an adjectival way in 'the red door'."
"The teacher asked us to underline every adjectival phrase."
"Many nouns can take on an adjectival role in English."
noun
1
grammar An adjectival phrase or clause.
"In 'the man in the hat', the phrase 'in the hat' is an adjectival."
"The exercise asks you to find each adjectival in the passage."
"She marked the adjectivals in green."
How to use adjectival
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDescribing something that behaves like or relates to an adjective.
When to use it
It is mostly used in grammar and language teaching.
Memory tip
Use adjectival for the grammatical role, and adjective for the word itself.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
adverbial
Common pairings
adjectival phrase
adjectival clause
adjectival use
adjectival form
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Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
'Red' is used in an _____ way in 'the red door'.
Etymology
Adjectival is formed from the word adjective plus the ending -al.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for adjectival
See all rhymes for adjectival →Frequently asked questions
What does adjectival mean?
It means relating to an adjective, or functioning as one.
What is an adjectival phrase?
It is a group of words that does the job of an adjective, describing a noun.
Is adjectival the same as adjective?
Not quite. Adjective names the word class, while adjectival describes something that relates to or works like an adjective.
What is the meaning of adjectival?
"adjectival" (adjective) means relating to an adjective or working in the way an adjective does.
