participle

par·ti·ci·ple

noun \ˈpär-tə-ˌsi-pəl\

Definition of PARTICIPLE

: a word having the characteristics of both verb and adjective; especially : an English verbal form that has the function of an adjective and at the same time shows such verbal features as tense and voice and capacity to take an object

Examples of PARTICIPLE

1. In the phrases “the finishing touches” and “the finished product,” “finishing” and “finished” are participles formed from the verb “finish.”

Origin of PARTICIPLE

Middle English, from Anglo-French, modification of Latin participium, from particip-, particeps

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Grammar and Linguistics Terms

ablaut, allusion, anacoluthon, diacritic, gerund, idiom, infinitive, metaphor, semiotics, simile