verbal

B2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈvɝ.bəl/ UK /ˈvɜː.bəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #12685

Meanings

1

adj
Spoken rather than written.

They made only a verbal agreement, with nothing on paper.
2

adj
Relating to or using words.

The job requires strong verbal skills.
3

adj
Relating to or formed from a verb.

'Running water' uses 'running' as a verbal adjective.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

lectic

Opposites

impliedunsaid

Word family

Derived forms anteverbalantiverbalaverbalbiverbalcoverbalcruciverbalextraverbalhyperverbalinterverbalintraverbalmonoverbalnonverbal

Related forms verbalismverbalityverbiage

Appears in

Phrases (3)

See all

Simplified etymology

Verbal entered English in late Middle English from the Latin family of verbum “word.” It shares this origin with verb and proverb and is ultimately related to word.

Etymology

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

*werh₁- Proto-Indo-European verbal Old French verbālis la-lat

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# verbal

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈvɝ.bəl/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈvɜː.bəl/
**Frequency rank:** 12685

## Meanings
1. Spoken rather than written.
2. Relating to or using words.
3. Relating to or formed from a verb.

## Examples
- They made only a verbal agreement, with nothing on paper.
- The job requires strong verbal skills.
- 'Running water' uses 'running' as a verbal adjective.

## Synonyms
- lectic

## Antonyms
- implied
- unsaid

## Derived Forms
- anteverbal
- antiverbal
- averbal
- biverbal
- coverbal
- cruciverbal
- extraverbal
- hyperverbal
- interverbal
- intraverbal
- monoverbal
- nonverbal

## Related Forms
- verbalism
- verbality
- verbiage

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *werh₁-
- Root: verbal
- Root: verbālis

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

## AI Etymology
Verbal is from Old French verbal, from Late Latin verbālis (“belonging to a word”). Equivalent to verb + -al. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *werh₁-, Old French verbal, la-lat verbālis. In present-day use, it can mean spoken rather than written, or relating to or using words. Derived formations include anteverbal, antiverbal, averbal, biverbal, coverbal, cruciverbal, extraverbal, hyperverbal.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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