noun
inflection
Inflection (noun) means (grammar) The way words change their form to show grammatical features such as tense or number.
noun
1
(grammar) The way words change their form to show grammatical features such as tense or number.
"The second-person imperative is a verbal inflection found in many Indo-European languages."
"In English, word order often does the work that inflection did in Latin."
"English's regular inflection for number in plural nouns is the suffix -s."
2
(grammar) A particular kind of word change that applies to a certain group of words.
3
(grammar) A letter or group of letters added to a word to show such a change.
4
Any specific morphological form of a particular term, such as the principal parts for any given stem; any of the declined or conjugated forms that constitute its declension or conjugation.
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like inflection.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Etymology
From the older spelling inflexion, borrowed from Middle French inflexion, which was itself borrowed from Latin inflexiōnem (“alteration”, literally “bending”). The English spelling with ⟨ct⟩ comes from the influence of inflect or related words such as correction.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for inflection
region
ablation
allusion
emulsion
ideation
novation
diffusion
elocution
extension
oxidation
perfusion
selection
See all rhymes for inflection →
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of inflection?
"inflection" (noun) means (grammar) The way words change their form to show grammatical features such as tense or number.
What is another word for inflection?
Other words for "inflection" include flection, inflexion, modulation, flexion, prosody.
What are the different meanings of inflection?
"inflection" has 3 main meanings: 1. (grammar) The way words change their form to show grammatical features such as tense or number; 2. (grammar) A particular kind of word change that applies to a certain group of words; 3. (grammar) A letter or group of letters added to a word to show such a change.
