intransitive
UK[ɪnˈtrænsətɪv]US[ɪnˈtrænsətɪv]
adj
Describing a verb that does not take a direct object.
n
An intransitive verb.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
trans
itive
in
not
trans
across
itive
adjective suffix
Etymology
The word 'intransitive' is a logical construction from Latin components. The core idea stems from the Latin verb 'transire', meaning "to go across", composed of 'trans-' (across) and 'ire' (to go). Its past participle 'transitus' gave rise to the adjective 'transitivus', describing a verb where the action "goes across" to a direct object. By adding the negating prefix 'in-' (not) to this base, the term 'intransitivus' was formed, literally meaning "not passing across". This etymological logic perfectly captures the grammatical concept: an intransitive verb denotes an action that does not pass over or transfer to an object, remaining with the subject.
Analysis
Structure: in (not) + trans (across) + itive (adjective suffix)
- in: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "not" or "without".
- trans: Latin origin, a prefix meaning "across", "beyond", or "through".
- itive: Latin origin, an adjectival suffix derived from -ivus, indicating a tendency or capacity.
Examples
In the sentence "The baby sleeps," the verb "sleeps" is intransitive.
Verbs like "arrive," "exist," and "laugh" are typically intransitive.
The dictionary entry marked the verb as intransitive, indicating it cannot take a direct object.