INFLECTIONAL Meaning and
Definition
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Inflectional is an adjective that refers to the modification of a word through the addition of suffixes, prefixes, or alternative forms. In language, inflectional changes are used to mark various grammatical categories, such as tense, number, gender, case, and mood. These modifications typically occur within the existing word structure, without altering its fundamental meaning or part of speech.
The inflectional forms added to words in different languages vary depending on the particular grammatical feature being expressed. For example, in English, the inflectional -s is added to nouns to indicate plural (e.g., cats, books), or to verbs in the third person singular present tense (e.g., runs, eats). Similarly, languages like Latin and Russian possess complex inflectional systems with many different forms to denote a wide range of grammatical features.
Inflectional changes are different from derivational changes, as inflectional modifications only affect the grammatical features of the word, while derivational changes alter the word's meaning, part of speech, or both. Furthermore, inflectional changes are obligatory in many languages, meaning that they are required to express certain grammatical characteristics, while derivational changes are often optional and used for lexical or semantic purposes.
Overall, the term "inflectional" describes the process of modifying words through the addition of grammatical suffixes, prefixes, or alternative forms to express various grammatical features without changing the core meaning or part of speech of the word.
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Pert. to the nature of an inflection.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Top Common Misspellings for INFLECTIONAL *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for INFLECTIONAL
Etymology of INFLECTIONAL
The word "inflectional" is derived from the Middle French word "inflection", which can be traced further back to the Latin word "inflectere". In Latin, "inflectere" means "to bend" or "to curve". The term "inflectional" refers to the bending or modification of a word's form to indicate various grammatical features such as tense, number, case, gender, or mood.
Similar spelling words for INFLECTIONAL
- inflation,
- inflammation,
- inflection,
- influential,
- inflexibly,
- inflexible,
- inflexion,
- in full action,
- infliction,
- inflationary,
- influentially,
- inflected.
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