past future perfect

1 of 2

adjective

: of, relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is traditionally formed in English with would have or should have and denotes an action or state completed at a time formerly in prospect (as would have finished in "on Monday I saw that by Friday he would have finished")

past future perfect

2 of 2

noun

1
: the past future perfect tense of a language
2
: a verb form in the past future perfect tense

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

past entry 1 + future perfect, adjective

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near past future perfect

Cite this Entry

“Past future perfect.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/past%20future%20perfect. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!