Infinitive

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɪnˈfɪnɪtɪv/

Definitions

1. A verb form that is not modified for tense or subject and represents an action or state, allowing it to function as a noun, adjective, or adverb while remaining basic in structure
2. A fundamental verb form that does not change according to tense or subject, enabling it to serve various grammatical functions such as a noun, adjective, or adverb
3. The basic form of a verb that appears without any changes for person, number, or tense and can act like a noun or other parts of speech

Etymology: The word is a grammatical term, and its original sense had nothing to do with grammar. In Middle English, "infenitife" meant "without end, in perpetuity," and it came from Late Latin "infinitivus," meaning "unlimited, indefinite." That Latin adjective was built from "infinitus," "unlimited," which itself came from "in-" ("not") and "finitus," the past participle of "finire," "to end." So the root idea is simply something that has no boundary. The grammatical sense developed because the infinitive form of a verb is not tied to a particular person, number, or tense. It names an action without limiting it to a specific subject or time, which is why grammarians saw it as "unbounded" in this sense. The word therefore moved from a general notion of endlessness to a precise label for one verb form. The English word is a compound on the surface, combining "infinite" with the suffix "-ive," as the analysis of its form suggests. Its mix of Latin roots and English suffix shows how grammatical vocabulary was often built from ordinary words of classical origin.

Synonyms: verb form, base form