Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [in-fin-i-tiv]
- /ɪnˈfɪn ɪ tɪv/
- /ɪnˈfɪn.ɪ.tɪv/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [in-fin-i-tiv]
- /ɪnˈfɪn ɪ tɪv/
Definitions of infinitive word
- noun 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.”. 1
- noun infinitive (in English) the simple or basic form of the verb, as come, take, eat, be, used after auxiliary verbs, as in I didn't come, He must be, or this simple form preceded by a function word, as to in I want to eat. 1
- adjective infinitive consisting of or containing an infinitive: an infinitive construction. Abbreviation: infin. 1
- noun infinitive The basic form of a verb, without an inflection binding it to a particular subject or tense (e.g., see in we came to see, let him see ). 1
- noun infinitive grammar: basic verb form 1
- adjective infinitive grammar: in or of the infinitive 1
Information block about the term
Origin of infinitive
First appearance:
before 1425 One of the 25% oldest English words
1425-75; late Middle English < Late Latin infīnītīvus indefinite, equivalent to in- in-3 + fīnītīvus definite; see finite, -ive
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Infinitive
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
infinitive popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 80% 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".
infinitive usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for infinitive
noun infinitive
- deponent — (of a verb, esp in Latin) having the inflectional endings of a passive verb but the meaning of an active verb
- 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).
- 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
- Words starting with i
- Words starting with in
- Words starting with inf
- Words starting with infi
- Words starting with infin
- Words starting with infini
- Words starting with infinit
- Words starting with infiniti
- Words starting with infinitiv
- Words starting with infinitive