Adjective

An adjective is a member of a word class whose members most typically express properties.

Term properties

The corresponding relational adjective is adjectival.

Examples

Typical adjective meanings are 'old', 'young', 'big', 'small', 'good', 'bad', 'red', 'blue', 'quick'.

Origin

The term adjective goes back to antiquity, Latin (nomen) adjectivum, literally 'attached (noun)'. (In the earlier grammatical terminology, adjectives were a subclass of noun; see noun (Latin nomen).)

Reference

• Dixon, R. M. W. & Aikhenvald, Alexandra Y. (eds.) 2004. Adjective classes: A cross-linguistic typology. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

• Вольф Е.М. Грамматика и семантика прилагательного. М.: Наука, 1978.

other languages

German Adjektiv