verb

A2 Topic:Communication

US /vɝb/ UK /vɜːb/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like verve /v/ vs /b/

Freq #20673

Meanings

1

noun
A word that describes an action, event, or state, such as 'run' or 'be'.

In the sentence 'She sings well', the word 'sings' is a verb.
2

verb
To use a word that is normally a noun as if it were a verb.

People often verb nouns, as when 'text' became a verb.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms verbs

Derived forms adverbcoverbpreverbpro-verbverb-framedverb-framingverb-objectverbal

Related forms copulaworkword

Appears in

Phrases (2)

See all

Simplified etymology

Verb entered English in late Middle English from Latin verbum “word.” It is therefore historically related to word, proverb, and verbal.

Etymology

From Middle English verbe, directly from Latin verbum (“word, verb”), reinforced by Old French verbe, from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰo-. Doublet of verve and word.

*werh₁- Proto-Indo-European verbe Middle English verbum Latin *werdʰo- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Language & Linguistics

External links

# verb

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** /vɝb/
**IPA (UK):** /vɜːb/
**Frequency rank:** 20673

## Meanings
1. A word that describes an action, event, or state, such as 'run' or 'be'.
2. To use a word that is normally a noun as if it were a verb.

## Examples
- In the sentence 'She sings well', the word 'sings' is a verb.
- People often verb nouns, as when 'text' became a verb.

## Derived Forms
- adverb
- coverb
- preverb
- pro-verb
- verb-framed
- verb-framing
- verb-object
- verbal

## Related Forms
- copula
- workword

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *werh₁-
- Root: verbe
- Root: verbum
- Root: *werdʰo-

## Etymology
From Middle English verbe, directly from Latin verbum (“word, verb”), reinforced by Old French verbe, from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰo-. Doublet of verve and word.

## AI Etymology
Verb is from Middle English verbe, directly from Latin verbum (“word, verb”), reinforced by Old French verbe, from Proto-Indo-European *werdʰo-. Doublet of verve and word. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *werh₁-, Middle English verbe, Latin verbum, Old French verbe, Proto-Indo-European *werdʰo-. In present-day use, it can mean a word that describes an action, event, or state, such as 'run' or 'be', or to use a word that is normally a noun as if it were a verb. Derived formations include adverb, coverb, preverb, pro-verb, verb-framed, verb-framing, verb-object, verbal.

## Topics
- Communication
- Language & Linguistics

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