English Explanatory Dictionary

verbal

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Of or relating to words.
  2. Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text.
  3. Consisting of words only.
  4. Expressly spoken rather than written; oral.
  5. Derived from, or having the nature of a verb.
  6. Used to form a verb.
  7. Capable of speech.
  8. Word for word.
  9. Abounding with words; verbose.
noun
  1. A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
  2. A spoken confession given to police.
  3. Talk; speech, especially banter or scolding.
verb
  1. To allege (usually falsely) that someone has made an oral admission.

Pronunciation

/ˈvɜː.bəl/ [ˈvɜː.bɫ̩] vûrʹ-bəl en-au-verbal.ogg /ˈvɝ.bəl/ [ˈvɝ.bɫ̩] en-us-verbal.ogg

Word forms

verbal verbals verbaling verballing verbaled verballed

Etymology

From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.

Synonyms

lectic wordish rhematic literal verbatim non-finite verb

Antonyms

implied unsaid substantive preverbal non-verbal

Related words

verbalism verbality verbiage

Derived words

anteverbal antiverbal averbal biverbal coverbal cruciverbal extraverbal hyperverbal interverbal intraverbal monoverbal nonverbal non-verbal leak paraverbal postverbal pseudoverbal subverbal triverbal univerbal verbal adjective verbal assault verbal authority verbal communication verbal complement verbal constipation verbal diarrhea verbal diarrhoea verbal humiliation verbalist verbalistic verbally verbalness verbal note verbal noun verbal overshadowing verbal participle verbal regency verbal substantive verbal warning visuoverbal
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