Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Of, relating to, or associated with words.
  • adjective Concerned with words only rather than with content or ideas.
  • adjective Consisting of words alone without action.
  • adjective Expressed in spoken rather than written words; oral.
  • adjective Corresponding word for word; literal.
  • adjective Relating to, having the nature or function of, or derived from a verb.
  • adjective Used to form verbs.
  • adjective Of or relating to proficiency in the use and understanding of words.
  • noun A verbal noun or adjective.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Of, pertaining to, or consisting in words.
  • Relating to or concerned with words only.
  • Expressed in spoken words; spoken; not written; oral: as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony.
  • Minutely exact in words; attending to words only; insistent about words.
  • Literal; having word answering to word; word for word: as, a verbal translation.
  • Of or pertaining to a verb; derived from a verb and sharing in its senses and constructions: as, a verbal noun.
  • noun In grammar, a noun derived from a verb and sharing in its senses and constructions; a verbal noun.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Gram.) A noun derived from a verb.
  • adjective Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not written
  • adjective Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing with words rather than with the ideas intended to be conveyed.
  • adjective Having word answering to word; word for word; literal.
  • adjective obsolete Abounding with words; verbose.
  • adjective (Gram.) Of or pertaining to a verb; ; derived directly from a verb; ; used in forming verbs.
  • adjective See under Inspiration.
  • adjective (Gram.) a noun derived directly from a verb or verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter. See Gerund, and -ing, 2. See also, Infinitive mood, under Infinitive.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Of, or relating to words.
  • adjective Concerned with the words, rather than the substance of a text.
  • adjective Consisting of words only.
  • adjective Expressly spoken or written.
  • adjective grammar Derived from, or having the nature of a verb.
  • adjective grammar Used to form a verb.
  • adjective Capable of speech.
  • noun grammar A verb form which does not function as a predicate, or a word derived from a verb. In English, infinitives, participles and gerunds are verbals.
  • verb transitive, UK, Australia To fabricate a confession

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective of or relating to or formed from a verb
  • adjective relating to or having facility in the use of words
  • adjective of or relating to or formed from words in general
  • adjective communicated in the form of words
  • adjective expressed in spoken words
  • adjective prolix

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin verbālis, from Latin verbum, word; see verb.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From the Late Latin verbalis ("belonging to a word").

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word verbal.

Examples

  • That is Hamlet's verbal account of it, when he undertakes to reduce his philosophy to rhyme, and gets the player to insert some sixteen of his lines quietly into the court performance: that is his _verbal_ account of it; but _his_ action, too, speaks louder and more eloquently than his words.

    The Philosophy of the Plays of Shakspere Unfolded Delia Bacon 1835

  • He communicated what he described as verbal orders from Lee: Early was to march toward Chancellorsville with his entire force, except Pendleton's artillery and one brigade of infantry.

    LEE’S LIEUTENANTS DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN 2001

  • He communicated what he described as verbal orders from Lee: Early was to march toward Chancellorsville with his entire force, except Pendleton's artillery and one brigade of infantry.

    LEE’S LIEUTENANTS DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN 2001

  • It's what we call a verbal taunt,'' Crawford said.

    Boston.com Top Stories 2011

  • It's what we call a verbal taunt,'' said crew chief Dan Crawford.

    Boston.com Top Stories 2011

  • "It's what we call a verbal taunt," crew chief Dan Crawford said.

    The Globe and Mail - Home RSS feed TIM REYNOLDS 2011

  • To Carmen Ramirez, the name Oxnard is what she calls verbal camouflage for a beautiful place.

    Ventura County Star Stories Colleen Cason 2010

  • Furthermore that is what you call verbal abuse! employment-verbal-abuse. jpgz3rbtc.jpg, image / jpeg, 223x209

    unknown title 2009

  • Furthermore that is what you call verbal abuse! employment-verbal-abuse. jpgz3rbtc.jpg, image / jpeg, 223x209

    unknown title 2009

  • Furthermore that is what you call verbal abuse! employment-verbal-abuse. jpgz3rbtc.jpg, image / jpeg, 223x209

    unknown title 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.