adjective

Meanings

Noun

• A word that modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes a noun’s referent.
• A dependent; an accessory.

Adjective

• Incapable of independent function.
• Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.
• Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure.
• Needing the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.

Verb

• To make an adjective of; to form or convert into an adjective.
• To characterize with an adjective; to describe by using an adjective.

Related

Narrower meaning words

• attributive adjective
• cardinal adjective
• descriptive adjective
• demonstrative adjective
• indefinite adjective
• interrogative adjective
• limiting adjective
• numerical adjective
• ordinal adjective
• participial adjective
• possessive adjective
• predicative adjective
• proper adjective
• quasi-adjective
• relative adjective
• substantive adjective

Origin

• From Middle English adjectif, adjective, from Old French adjectif, from Latin adiectivus, from adiciō + -īvus, from ad- + iaciō. The Latin word adiectivus in turn was a calque of Ancient Greek ἐπιθετικόν, a derivative of the compound verb ἐπιτίθημι, from which also comes epithet.