inflection

  • 1inflection — 1. Inflection is the process by which words change their form by the addition of suffixes or other means in accordance with their grammatical role. Inflection of nouns usually involves the addition of s or es to form plurals (book / books, church …

    Modern English usage

  • 2inflection — inflection, intonation, accent are comparable when they designate a particular manner of employing the tones of the voice in speech. Inflection implies change in pitch or tone; it often suggests a variation expressive of emotion or sentiment, and …

    New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • 3Inflection — In*flec tion, n. [L. inflexio : cf. F. inflexion. See {Inflect}.] [Written also {inflecxion}.] 1. The act of inflecting, or the state of being inflected. [1913 Webster] 2. A bend; a fold; a curve; a turn; a twist. [1913 Webster] 3. A slide,… …

    The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • 4inflection — early 15c., from M.Fr. inflexion and directly from L. inflexionem (nom. inflexio) a bending, inflection, modification, noun of action from pp. stem of inflectere (see INFLECT (Cf. inflect)). For spelling, see CONNECTION (Cf. connection).… …

    Etymology dictionary

  • 5inflection — [in flek′shən] n. [L inflexio < inflexus, pp. of inflectere: see INFLECT] 1. a turning, bending, or curving 2. a turn, bend, or curve 3. any change in tone or pitch of the voice; modulation [to signal a question by a rising inflection] 4. a… …

    English World dictionary

  • 6inflection — I noun accent, accentuation, cadence, emphasis, expression, intonation, modulation, pitch, stress, tone, voice change associated concepts: demeanor of a witness, polygraph test II index intonation, stress (accent) …

    Law dictionary

  • 7inflection — inflection, inflexion англ. [инфле/кшн] муз. интонация …

    Словарь иностранных музыкальных терминов

  • 8inflection — [n] accent, intonation articulation, change, emphasis, enunciation, modulation, pitch, pronunciation, sound, timbre, tonality, tone, tone of voice, variation; concepts 65,595 Ant. monotone …

    New thesaurus

  • 9inflection — (chiefly Brit. also inflexion) ► NOUN 1) Grammar a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender. 2) a variation in intonation or pitch of… …

    English terms dictionary

  • 10Inflection — In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the way language handles grammatical relations and relational categories such as tense, mood, voice, aspect, person, number, gender, case. In covert inflection, such categories are not overtly expressed.… …

    Wikipedia