adjective
UK[ˈædʒɪktɪv]US[ˈædʒɪktɪv]
n
A word that describes a noun or pronoun, giving more information about it, such as its quality, size, age, colour, etc.
Morpheme Breakdown
ad
ject
ive
ad
to, toward, near.
ject
to throw.
ive
tending to, having the nature of.
Etymology
The word 'adjective' entered English in the late 14th century from Old French 'adjectif,' which itself derived from the Latin term 'nomen adjectivum,' meaning "added word" or "word thrown near." This Latin phrase is a calque of the Greek term 'epitheton,' which carries a similar sense of something "added on." The core Latin components are 'ad-' (to, toward) and 'jacere' (to throw), literally painting a picture of a descriptive word being "thrown toward" a noun to qualify it. Over time, the term evolved from this literal, grammatical concept of an "added" element to its modern, abstract meaning as the specific part of speech that modifies a noun.
Analysis
Structure: ad + ject + ive
- ad: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "to, toward, near."
- ject: Latin origin, from the root of 'jacere' meaning "to throw."
- ive: Latin origin, a suffix forming adjectives meaning "tending to, having the nature of."
Examples
In the phrase "the blue sky," the word "blue" is an adjective.
She used several vivid adjectives to describe the scene in her story.
The order of adjectives in English typically follows opinion, size, age, shape, colour, origin, material, and purpose.