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gerund

ger·und
G g

Transcription

    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • UK Pronunciation
    • UK IPA
    • [jer-uh nd]
    • /ˈdʒɛr ənd/
    • /ˈdʒer.ənd/
    • US Pronunciation
    • US IPA
    • [jer-uh nd]
    • /ˈdʒɛr ənd/

Definitions of gerund word

  • noun gerund (in certain languages, as Latin) a form regularly derived from a verb and functioning as a noun, having in Latin all case forms but the nominative, as Latin dicendī gen., dicendō, dat., abl., etc., “saying.”. See also gerundive (def 1). 1
  • noun gerund the English -ing form of a verb when functioning as a noun, as writing in Writing is easy. 1
  • noun gerund a form similar to the Latin gerund in meaning or function. 1
  • noun gerund See me.   1
  • noun gerund A form that is derived from a verb but that functions as a noun, in English ending in -ing, e.g., asking in do you mind my asking you. 1
  • noun gerund grammar: verb form used as noun 1

Information block about the term

Origin of gerund

First appearance:

before 1505
One of the 26% oldest English words
1505-15; < Late Latin gerundium, Latin gerundum that which is to be carried on, equivalent to ger(ere) to bear, carry on + -undum, variant of -endum, gerund suffix

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Gerund

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation

gerund popularity

A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 78% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
Most Europeans know this English word. The frequency of it’s usage is somewhere between "mom" and "screwdriver".

gerund usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for gerund

noun gerund

  • deponent — (of a verb, esp in Latin) having the inflectional endings of a passive verb but the meaning of an active verb
  • infinitive — a verb form found in many languages that functions as a noun or is used with auxiliary verbs, and that names the action or state without specifying the subject, as French venir “to come,” Latin esse “to be,” fuisse “to have been.”.
  • participle — an adjective or complement to certain auxiliaries that is regularly derived from the verb in many languages and refers to participation in the action or state of the verb; a verbal form used as an adjective. It does not specify person or number in English, but may have a subject or object, show tense, etc., as burning, in a burning candle, or devoted in his devoted friend.
  • verbify — to change into or employ as a verb, as a noun.

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See also

Matching words

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