Adjectival

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.

Other languages

• German Adjektiv
• Russian адъективный