adjective
AJ-ihk-tihv
Adjective (noun) means a word that describes or modifies a noun, such as "tall," "blue," or "happy.". Example: “In "the red car," "red" is the adjective.”
noun
1
A word that describes or modifies a noun, such as "tall," "blue," or "happy."
"The words “big” and “heavy” are English adjectives."
"The Brazilian football legend, who passed away in December, has been added to the Portuguese edition of the Michaelis dictionary as an adjective to describe someone or something “out of the ordinary.”"
— George Ramsay, Pelé added to Portuguese dictionary as an adjective for ‘out of the ordinary’ (2023)
""We have fallen into the culture of adjectives and adverbs, and we have forgotten the strength of nouns," he said."
— Jessie Yeung, Pope Francis loves nouns but is ‘allergic’ to adjectives (2019)
"In "the red car," "red" is the adjective."
"Good writers choose precise adjectives instead of stacking up vague ones."
How to use adjective
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA describing word — it tells you more about a noun, like its color, size, or quality.
Memory tip
Ask "what kind?" or "which one?" about a noun — the word that answers is usually an adjective.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
descriptive adjective
adjective phrase
comparative adjective
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Word forms
- Plural
- adjectives
- Third person singular
- adjectives
- Past tense
- adjectived
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
In "the red car," "red" is the _____.
Etymology
From Latin adiectivus, "added on," from adicere ("to throw toward, to add"). This was a translation of the Greek grammatical term for a word "added" to a noun.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for adjective
See all rhymes for adjective →Frequently asked questions
What does “adjective” mean?
The word “adjective” means a word that describes or modifies a noun, such as "tall," "blue," or "happy.". In plain terms, a describing word — it tells you more about a noun, like its color, size, or quality.
How do you pronounce “adjective”?
“Adjective” is pronounced AJ-ihk-tihv (/ˈæd͡ʒ.ɪk.tɪv/ in IPA).
How do you use “adjective” in a sentence?
Here is “adjective” used in a sentence: “In "the red car," "red" is the adjective.”
What is another word for “adjective”?
Words with a similar meaning to “adjective” include adjective noun, adnoun, describing word, description word, noun adjective and adjectify.
What part of speech is “adjective”?
“Adjective” is a noun.
Where does the word “adjective” come from?
The word “adjective” comes from Latin. From Latin adiectivus, "added on," from adicere ("to throw toward, to add"). This was a translation of the Greek grammatical term for a word "added" to a noun.
Is “adjective” a common word?
“Adjective” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
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