I. ˈajə̇ktiv, -ēk-, rapid sometimes ˈajəd.iv adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French adjectif, from Late Latin adjectivus, from Latin adjectus + -ivus -ive
1. : being an adjective
an adjective word
: functioning as an adjective
an adjective clause
: fitting or suitable to an adjective
adjective uses of nouns
adjective inflections
2.
a. : not standing by itself : dependent , derivative
b. : qualifying , limiting : accidental — contrasted with essential and substantive
3. : relating to dyes that require a mordant or to the processes in which they are employed
adjective colors or dyes
adjective dyeing
— opposed to substantive
• ad·jec·tive·ly adverb
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French adjectif, from Late Latin adjectivum, from neuter of adjectivus
1. : a word belonging to one of the major form classes in any of a great many languages, typically used as a modifier of a noun to denote a quality of the thing named (as brave in “a brave man” or “the man is brave”, new in “the new dress” or “the dress is new”), to indicate its quantity or extent (as five in “five cows”, every in “every word”), or to specify or designate a thing as distinct from something else (as these in “these wheels”) and in many languages declined for gender, number, and case and agreeing in all these respects with the noun it modifies but in English having no such inflections (except for this, plural these, and that, plural those )
2. : something that has only dependent or qualifying status or existence
a perceptual object is a true Aristotelian adjective of some event which is its situation — A.N.Whitehead
: something that cannot stand alone : dependent
III. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to make an adjective of : furnish with an adjective or adjectives
2. : to express or describe using many adjectives
slick, glowingly adjectived phrases — Andy Logan