Word
inflection
Phoneticsin·flec·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/ˌɪnˈfɫɛkʃən/
UK/ɪnflˈɛkʃən/
Definitions
01grammar
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Technical · Academic
n. a change in the ending or form of a word to show things like tense or number.
n. the morphological process by which a word is modified to express grammatical categories such as tense, mood, person, or number.
“In English, adding '-ed' to a verb is a common inflection to show the past tense.”
“Highly inflected languages like Latin or Russian rely on word endings rather than word order to convey grammatical relationships within a sentence.”
Usage
Often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the general linguistic concept.
Synonyms
02tone of voice
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a change in the pitch or loudness of your voice while you are speaking.
n. a modulation of the voice; a change in pitch or tone that conveys meaning or emotion.
Español:inflexión
“She noticed a slight inflection of sadness in his voice when he mentioned home.”
“The actor used subtle inflections to signal sarcasm without changing the literal meaning of the script.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03mathematics/geometry
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical · Academic
n. a point where a curve changes its direction.
n. a change in the curvature of a line from concave to convex or vice versa.
“The graph shows a clear inflection point where the growth starts to slow down.”
“The engineer identified the point of inflection on the structural beam to determine where the stress was most concentrated.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'inflection point'.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “inflection” in context.
Real-World Examples
“This is Ayckbourn philosophising about the future of humanity as we sit at an obvious inflection point, asking what this moment in our relationship with technology means and where it will lead us.” “To Brooke Erin Duffy, a communication professor at Cornell University, these college programs represent an inflection point.” Etymology
From older inflexion, borrowed from Middle French inflexion, itself borrowed from Latin inflexiōnem (“alteration”, literally “bending”). The English spelling with ⟨ct⟩ is due to influence from inflect or related words like correction.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- 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.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL 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: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/inflection
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0