ADJECTIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does adjective mean? 

• ADJECTIVE (noun)
  The noun ADJECTIVE has 2 senses:

1. a word that expresses an attribute of something

2. the word class that qualifies nouns

  Familiarity information: ADJECTIVE used as a noun is rare.

• ADJECTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective ADJECTIVE has 2 senses:

1. of or relating to or functioning as an adjective

2. relating to court practice and procedure as opposed to the principles of law

  Familiarity information: ADJECTIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ADJECTIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A word that expresses an attribute of something

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("adjective" is a kind of...):

modifier; qualifier (a content word that qualifies the meaning of a noun or verb)

Meronyms (parts of "adjective"):

adjective (the word class that qualifies nouns)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "adjective"):

descriptive adjective; qualifying adjective (an adjective that ascribes to its noun the value of an attribute of that noun (e.g., 'a nervous person' or 'a musical speaking voice'))

classifying adjective; relational adjective (an adjective that classifies its noun (e.g., 'a nervous disease' or 'a musical instrument'))

positive; positive degree (the primary form of an adjective or adverb; denotes a quality without qualification, comparison, or relation to increase or diminution)

comparative; comparative degree (the comparative form of an adjective or adverb)

superlative; superlative degree (the superlative form of an adjective or adverb)

Derivation:

adjectival (of or relating to or functioning as an adjective)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The word class that qualifies nouns

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("adjective" is a kind of...):

major form class (any of the major parts of speech of traditional grammar)

Holonyms ("adjective" is a part of...):

adjective (a word that expresses an attribute of something)

Derivation:

adjectival (of or relating to or functioning as an adjective)

• ADJECTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Of or relating to or functioning as an adjective

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

adjectival; adjective

Context example:

an adjective clause

Pertainym:

adjective (the word class that qualifies nouns)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Relating to court practice and procedure as opposed to the principles of law

Synonyms:

adjective; procedural

Context example:

adjective law

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Antonym:

substantive (defining rights and duties as opposed to giving the rules by which rights and duties are established)

 Context examples 

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; throbbing.

(BPI - Throbbing, NCI Thesaurus)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; tender.

(BPI - Tender, NCI Thesaurus)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; stabbing.

(BPI - Stabbing, NCI Thesaurus)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; shooting.

(BPI - Shooting, NCI Thesaurus)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; tiring.

(BPI - Tiring, NCI Thesaurus)

Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) Check Yes or No if the adjective applies to your pain; unbearable.

(BPI - Unbearable, NCI Thesaurus)

A questionnaire incorporating a series of adjectives to describe the characteristics and intensity of pain.

(McGill Pain Questionnaire, NCI Thesaurus)

A descriptive adjective assigned to the quantitative measurement of the left cardiac atrium.

(Left Atrium Size, Qualitative, NCI Thesaurus)

Also used as an adjective to describe something with properties like that of a fluid.

(Fluid, NCI Thesaurus)

A descriptive adjective assigned to the computed amount of blood ejected during a ventricular contraction of the heart.

(Ejection Fraction, Qualitative, NCI Thesaurus)