Some grammatical terms and their roots in Latin

(in citation form, courtesy of The Perseus Project
... with the Usual Disclaimers, of course)


Agentive
agô, agere, êgî, actus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'do, work'
Active
agô, agere, êgî, actus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'do, work'
Auxiliary
augeô, augêre, auxî, auctus (Second [thematic -ê- stem] conjugation verb) 'help'
Causative
causa, causae (Fem, First [thematic -â- stem] declension noun) 'cause'
Caritive
careô, carêre, caruî, caritus (Second [thematic -ê- stem] conjugation verb) 'lack, miss, be without'
Antecedent
ante + cêdô, cêdere, cessî, cessus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'go away'
Cessative
cessô, cessâre, cessâvî, cessâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'stop'
Exclamation
ex + clamô, clamâre, clamâvî, clamâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'cry'
Clause
claudô, claudere, clausî, clausus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'close'
Inceptive
in[1] + capiô, capere, cêpî, captus (Third [athematic consonant stem -iô] conjugation verb) 'begin'
(in[1] prefix = 'into/inside')
Benedictive
bene + dîcô, dîcere, dîxî, dictus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'say'
Conditional
cum + dîcô, dîcere, dîxî, dictus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'say'
Indicative
in[1] + dîcô, dîcere, dîxî, dictus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'say'
Predicate
pre + dîcô, dîcere, dîxî, dictus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'say'
Dative
, dare, dedî, dâtus (Irregular) 'give'
Dual
duo, duae, dua 'two'
Factive
faciô, facere, fêcî, factus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'do, make'
Benefactive
bene + faciô, facere, fêcî, factus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'do, make'
Perfect
per + faciô, facere, fêcî, factus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'do, make'
(the perfect participle of the English verb do is 'done', still used in this sense)
Imperfect
in[2] +per + faciô, facere, fêcî, factus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'do, make'
  1. (in[2] prefix = "not"; Latin, cognate to Germanic "un-" (uncivil) and Greek "a-" (atheist)
  2. (/im-/ allomorph before labial /p-/ of {in[2]} morpheme)
Lative
ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
(Perfect and Participle are examples of suppletion)
Ablative
ab + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Allative
ad + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Elative
ex + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Illative
in[1] + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Relative
re + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Superlative
super + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Translative
trans + ferô, ferre, tûlî, latus (Irregular third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'carry'
Affix
ad + figô, figere, fixî, fixus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'pierce'
Infix
in[1] + figô, figere, fixî, fixus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'pierce'
Prefix
pre + figô, figere, fixî, fixus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'pierce'
Suffix
sub + figô, figere, fixî, fixus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'pierce'
Infinitive
in[2] + finis (Masc [occasionally Fem], Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'end'
Inflection
in[1] + flectô, flectere, flexî, flexus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bend'
Reflexive
re + flectô, flectere, flexî, flexus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bend'
Retroflex
retro + flectô, flectere, flexî, flexus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bend'
Gerund
gerô, gerere, gessî, gestus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bear, cherish'
Register
re + gerô, gerere, gessî, gestus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bear, cherish'
Cognate
cum + (g)nascor, (g)nascî, (g)nâtus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'born'
(Deponent verbs have only passive forms, regardless of their meaning)
Gender
genus, generis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'kind, type', a derivative from
gens, gentis (Fem, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'clan, tribe'
Genitive
genetivus, -a, -um (Masc, Fem, Neut, First & Second [thematic -a/-o stems] declension adjective) 'innate', a derivative from
gignô, gignere, genuî, genitum (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'bear, produce'; in passive 'be born'
Egressive
ex + gradior, gradî, gressus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation, deponent) 'step'
Ingressive
in[1] + gradior, gradî, gressus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation, deponent) 'step'
Progressive
pro + gradior, gradî, gressus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation, deponent) 'step'
Habitual
habeô, habêre, habuî, habitus (Second [thematic -ê- stem] conjugation verb) 'have'
Interjection
inter + iaciô, iacere, iêcî, iactus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'throw'
(-- often spelled jaciô)
Adjective
ad + iaciô, iacere, iêcî, iactus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'throw'
Subject
sub + iaciô, iacere, iêcî, iactus (Third [athematic consonant stem] -iô conjugation verb) 'throw'
Imperative
imperô, imperâre, imperâvî, imperâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'order'
Comitative
cum + , îre, îvî, îtus (Irregular) 'go'
Conjunction
cum + iungô, iungere, iunxî, iunctus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'join'
Conjugation
cum + iugô, iugâre, iugâvî, iugâtus (First [thematic -â-] stem] conjugation verb) 'join'
(iugô is a regular formation from iungô)
Lateral
latus, lateris (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'side'
Locative
locus, locî (Masc, Second [thematic -o stem] declension noun) 'place'
Demonstrative
de + monstrô, monstrâre, monstrâvî, monstrâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'show'
Nominative
nomen, nomenis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'name'
Noun
nomen, nomenis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'name'
Pronoun
pro + nomen, nomenis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'name'
Optative
optô, optâre, optâvî, optâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'hope, wish'
Subordinate
sub + ordô, ordinis (Masc, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'order'
Comparative
cum + parô, parâre, parâvî, parâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'get'
Parse
pars, partis (Fem, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'part'
Participle
pars, partis (Fem, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'part'
Partitive
pars, partis (Fem, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'part'
Passive
patior, patî, passus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation, deponent) 'allow, suffer'
Pejorative
pêior, pêius (Masc+Fem, Neut, Irregular Third declension adjective) 'worse'
(pêior is the comparative form of malus, -a, -um 'bad')
Reduplication
re+ duo, duae, dua + plicô, plicâre, plicâvî, plicâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'fold'
Complement
cum + pleô, plêre, plêvî, plêtus (Second [thematic -ê- stem] conjugation verb) 'fill'
Plural
plûs, plûris (Masc+Fem, Neut, Irregular Third declension adjective) 'more'
(plûs is the (irregular) comparative form of multus, -a, -um 'much, many')
Deponent
de + ponô, ponere, posuî, positus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'place'
Apposition
ad + ponô, ponere, posuî, positus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'place'
Preposition
pre + ponô, ponere, posuî, positus (Third [athematic consonant stem] conjugation verb) 'place'
Potential
potens, potentis (Masc+Fem, Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension adjective) 'mighty, strong'
(potens is the present active participle form of the irregular modal verb possum, posse, potuî, positus 'can, may')
Regular
regô, regere, rexî, rectus 'rule'
Derivation
de + rîvus, rîvî (Masc, Second [thematic -o stem] declension noun) 'river'
Interrogative
inter+ rogô, rogâre, rogâvî, rogâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'ask'
Sibilant
sibilô, sibilâre, sibilâvî, sibilâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'hiss'
Assimilation
ad + similis, simile (Masc+Fem, Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension adjective) 'same'
Dissimilation
dis + similis, simile (Masc+Fem, Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension adjective) 'same'
Singular
singulî, -ae, -a (Masc, Fem, Neut, First & Second [thematic -a/-o stems] declension adjective) 'single'
Consonant
cum + sonô, sonâre, sonuî, sonitus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'sound'
Person
per + sonô, sonâre, sonuî, sonitus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'sound'
(Nota Bene: This etymology is attributed in Lewis and Short to the writings of Gabbius Bassus;
modern etymologists derive persôna from an Etruscan original.)
Resonant
re + sonô, sonâre, sonuî, sonitus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'sound'
Aspect
ad + speciô, specere, spexî, spectus (Third [athematic consonant stem -iô] conjugation verb) 'look'
Stative
stô, stâre, stetî, status (Irregular First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'stand'
Instrumental
in[1] + struô, struere, struxî, structus 'build'
Construction
cum + struô, struere, struxî, structus 'build'
Future
sum, esse, fûî, futûrus, (Irregular) 'be'
Essive
sum, esse, fûî, futûrus, (Irregular) 'be'
Abessive
ab + sum, esse, fûî, futûrus, (Irregular) 'be'
Adessive
ad + sum, esse, fûî, futûrus, (Irregular) 'be'
Inessive
in[1] + sum, esse, fûî, futûrus, (Irregular) 'be'
Temporal
tempus, temporis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'time'
Tense
tempus, temporis (Neut, Third [athematic consonant stem] declension noun) 'time'
Intonation
in[1] + tonus, tonî (Masc, Second [thematic -o stem] declension noun) 'tone'
Verb
verbum, verbî (Neut, Second [thematic -o stem] declension noun) 'word'
Adverb
ad + verbum, verbî (Neut, Second [thematic -o stem] declension noun) 'word'
Vocative
vocô, vocâre, vocâvî, vocâtus (First [thematic -â- stem] conjugation verb) 'call'
Volitional
volô, velle, voluî (Irregular modal verb) 'want'


Linguistics 114
Last change April 13, 2004 John Lawler
(with assistance from Aaron J. Dinkin gratefully acknowledged)