Exclamative

Part of speech: adjective, noun

Definitions

1. Relating to or serving as an expression of strong emotion or surprise; functioning as a type of sentence or phrase that conveys an exclamation; characterized by an emphatic or forceful tone
2. Connected with utterances that express sudden feelings such as surprise, joy, or anger; indicative of sentences that typically end with an exclamation mark; showing an emphatic or emotional quality in speech or writing
3. Pertaining to language elements that demonstrate emotional emphasis or intensity; involved in grammatical constructions that express exclamation; associated with the use of words or phrases to assert strong feelings or reactions

Etymology: "Exclamative" is built on the verb "exclaim," which comes from Latin "exclamare," meaning "to cry out," from "ex-" (out) and "clamare" (to shout). The adjective "exclamative" describes language that expresses surprise, admiration, or other strong feeling, as in an exclamatory sentence that ends in an exclamation mark. English took the form from French "exclamatif," and the two words still correspond closely in sense. Its meaning is narrower than it first appears. In grammar, an exclamative is a sentence type, such as "What a day this is!", distinct from a statement, question, or command, and the term is most often used for that grammatical category rather than for loud or emotional speech in general. The word thus names a form of sentence defined by its shape as much as by its feeling.

Synonyms: emphatic, expressive, exclamatory, forceful, emotional

Antonyms: neutral, calm, reserved, unemotional, non-exclamatory