inflection
UK[ɪnˈflɛkʃn]US[ɪnˈflɛkʃn]
n
A change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender.
n
The modulation of intonation or pitch in the voice.
n
A change in curvature from convex to concave or vice versa; a point of such change.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
flect
ion
in
flect
ion
Etymology
The word "inflection" originates from the Latin inflexionem (nominative inflexio), a noun derived from the verb inflectere, meaning "to bend in, to curve." This verb itself is composed of the prefix in- ("in") and flectere ("to bend"). The core semantic concept of bending was metaphorically extended in grammar to describe the "bending" or modification of a word's form to fit its syntactic role. From this same physical notion of bending, the term also naturally applies to the modulation of the voice and to changes in geometric curvature, maintaining a coherent link between its literal and abstract applications.
Analysis
Structure: in + flect + ion
- in (Latin): A prefix meaning "in, into, toward, on."
- flect (Latin): A root from the verb flectere, meaning "to bend."
- ion (Latin): A noun-forming suffix indicating an action or process, or the result thereof.
Examples
In many languages, the inflection of nouns indicates whether they are singular or plural.
She asked the question with a rising inflection at the end.
The graph shows a clear inflection point where the trend reverses.