# adjective

/ˈædʒɪktɪv/ (US) · /ˈædʒɪktˌɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adjective
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. grammar

noun · CEFR A2

a word that describes a person, place, or thing.

For teachers: a word that modifies a noun or noun phrase to provide additional information about its referent.

- In the phrase 'the blue sky', the word 'blue' is an adjective.
- The student struggled to identify the compound adjective in the sentence, mistakenly labeling the first element as an adverb.

Usage: In English, adjectives usually come before the noun they describe or after a linking verb like 'be'.

### 2. grammatical

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

relating to or acting like an adjective.

For teachers: pertaining to or functioning as an adjective within a syntactic structure.

- The word has an adjective form that is used in formal writing.
- The linguist analyzed the adjective use of the noun, noting how it shifted the semantic focus of the entire phrase.

### 3. legal procedure

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

describing the rules for how a law is carried out, rather than the law itself.

For teachers: relating to the methods of enforcement and rules of procedure in a legal system, as opposed to substantive law.

- The lawyer studied the adjective law to understand the court's rules.
- The judge dismissed the case based on a violation of adjective law, ruling that the filing procedure had not been strictly followed.

### 4. dyeing process

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describing a dye that needs a special chemical to stay on the fabric.

For teachers: referring to a dye that requires a mordant to become fixed to the material being dyed.

- This specific adjective dye will wash out unless you use a fixative.
- The chemist explained that adjective colors are less stable than substantive ones without the application of a metallic salt.

### 5. to turn into an adjective

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to change a word into an adjective or use an adjective to describe something.

For teachers: to convert a word into an adjective or to characterize something by using an adjective.

- It is common to adjective a noun in modern English, like 'coffee cup'.
- The author tended to adjective his subjects with such density that the narrative pace slowed significantly.

## Examples

- In the phrase 'red car', the word 'red' is an adjective.
- When writing a descriptive essay, using a strong adjective helps the reader picture the scene more clearly.
- While novice writers often rely on a string of weak adjectives to convey emotion, experienced authors prefer precise verbs and concrete nouns to achieve the same effect.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.