ENGLISH
REFERENCE

verbal

adj.
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈvɝbəɫ// UK //vˈɜːbəl// ver·bal Archaic Informal

adj. relating to words or speaking rather than actions or pictures. You use this to describe something that is spoken out loud instead of being written down.

adj. relating to or consisting of words; specifically, spoken rather than written. Often used to describe oral agreements or communication that lacks a physical record.


SIMPLE

The manager gave me a verbal warning about being late.

CONTEXTUAL

They reached a verbal agreement over lunch, but the lawyers still need to draft a formal contract.

COMPLEX

While the student showed great aptitude for visual patterns, his verbal reasoning scores suggested he struggled to articulate complex logical sequences in speech.

Antonyms
Origin

From Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al.

Usage

Typically placed before the noun it modifies. In legal contexts, it is often used interchangeably with 'oral'.

Pitfall

a verbal examan oral examWhile 'verbal' means 'using words', academic tests that involve speaking are specifically called 'oral' exams.

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