— grammaticalization , n.
/greuh mat"i keuh luyz'/ , v.t., grammaticalized, grammaticalizing . Ling.
1. to convert (a content word or part of one) into a functor, as in using OE lic, 'body,' as a suffix in adjectives and adverbs, such as OE freondlic, 'friendly.'
2. to represent (semantic features) by grammatical categories, as plurality in English or gender in French.
Also, esp. Brit., gramaticalise .
[ 1935-40; GRAMMATICAL + -IZE ]