Word
flexion
Phoneticsflex·ion, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfɫɛkʃən/
UK/flˈɛkʃən/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a small change in the form of a word that shows grammar, like tense or plural.
n. a change in the form of a word to mark grammatical distinctions such as tense, number, person, or case. Often treated as a variant of 'inflection' in grammatical description.
Examples
“English shows flexion in words like go and goes.”
“The teacher points out the flexion in 'cats' where the final s marks the plural.”
“Languages with rich flexion encode tense and case within the word itself, so learners must attend to endings rather than word order alone.”
Examples
simple
“English shows flexion in words like go and goes.”
contextual
“The teacher points out the flexion in 'cats' where the final s marks the plural.”
complex
“Languages with rich flexion encode tense and case within the word itself, so learners must attend to endings rather than word order alone.”
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin flexiō, from flectō (“I bend, curve”) + -tiō, possibly via French.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C2 ProficiencyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.8.5–9.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 6.0114–120
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C2 · Proficiency
- Updated
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