inflection

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inflection

Grammatical inflection (sometimes known as accidence or flection in more traditional grammars) is the way in which a word is changed or altered in form in order to achieve a new, specific meaning.

Verbs are the most commonly inflected words, changing form to reflect grammatical tense, as well as mood, voice, aspect, person, and speech. Collectively, this is known as conjugation.

The other parts of speech that can undergo inflection are nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. These are categorized collectively under the term declension.

inflection

an alteration in pitch or tone of the voice; a change in the form of a word indicating number, person, or tense

Not to be confused with:

infliction – impose something painful or unwelcome upon; physical assault

in·flec·tion

(ĭn-flĕk′shən)

1. The act of inflecting or the state of being inflected.

2. Alteration in pitch or tone of the voice.

3. Grammar

a. An alteration of the form of a word by the addition of an affix, as in English dogs from dog, or by changing the form of a base, as in English spoke from speak, that indicates grammatical features such as number, person, mood, or tense.

b. An affix indicating such a grammatical feature, as the -s in the English third person singular verb form speaks.

c. The paradigm of a word.

d. A pattern of forming paradigms, such as noun inflection or verb inflection.

4. A turning or bending away from a course or position of alignment.

in·flec′tion·al adj.

in·flec′tion·al·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

inflection

(ɪnˈflɛkʃən) or

inflexion

1. modulation of the voice

2. (Grammar) (grammar) a change in the form of a word, usually modification or affixation, signalling change in such grammatical functions as tense, voice, mood, person, gender, number, or case

3. an angle or bend

4. the act of inflecting or the state of being inflected

5. (Mathematics) maths a change in curvature from concave to convex or vice versa. See also point of inflection

inˈflectional, inˈflexional adj

inˈflectionally, inˈflexionally adv

inˈflectionless, inˈflexionless adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

in•flec•tion

(ɪnˈflɛk ʃən)

n.

1. modulation of the voice; change in pitch or tone of voice.

a. the process of adding affixes to or changing the shape of a base to give it a different syntactic function without changing its form class, as in forming served from serve, sings from sing, or harder from hard (contrasted with derivation).

b. an affix added in this process, as the -s in dogs or the -ed in played.

c. an inflected form of a word.

d. the systematic description of the process of inflection in a language; accidence.

3. a bend or angle.

4. a change of curvature from convex to concave or vice versa.

Also, esp. Brit., inflexion.

[1525–35]

inflection

A change in the form of a word that indicates a different tense or number.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	inflection - a change in the form of a word (usually by adding a suffix) to indicate a change in its grammatical function inflexion grammatical relation - a linguistic relation established by grammar conjugation - the inflection of verbs declension - the inflection of nouns and pronouns and adjectives in Indo-European languages paradigm - systematic arrangement of all the inflected forms of a word pluralisation, pluralization - the act of pluralizing or attributing plurality to
	2.	inflection - the patterns of stress and intonation in a language prosody manner of speaking, delivery, speech - your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally; "his manner of speaking was quite abrupt"; "her speech was barren of southernisms"; "I detected a slight accent in his speech" intonation, pitch contour, modulation - rise and fall of the voice pitch caesura - a break or pause (usually for sense) in the middle of a verse line enjambement, enjambment - the continuation of a syntactic unit from one line of verse into the next line without a pause stress, accent, emphasis - the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch); "he put the stress on the wrong syllable" speech rhythm, rhythm - the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements; "the rhythm of Frost's poetry"
	3.	inflection - deviation from a straight or normal course flection, flexion deviation, difference, divergence, departure - a variation that deviates from the standard or norm; "the deviation from the mean"
	4.	inflection - a manner of speaking in which the loudness or pitch or tone of the voice is modified modulation manner of speaking, delivery, speech - your characteristic style or manner of expressing yourself orally; "his manner of speaking was quite abrupt"; "her speech was barren of southernisms"; "I detected a slight accent in his speech"

inflection

noun

1. intonation, stress, emphasis, beat, measure, rhythm, cadence, modulation, accentuation His voice was devoid of inflection.

2. (Grammar) conjugation, declension Around 2 years, the child adds many grammatical inflections.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

inflection

noun

A particular vocal quality that indicates some emotion or feeling:

accent, intonation, tone.

Idiom: tone of voice.

Translations

flexeohýbání

afvigelsemodulation

flexión inflexiónpunto de inflexión

käännepistesuunnanmuutostaivutus

inflexion point d'inflexion

fleksijainfleksijaotklon

beygingraddblær

desinenza

bocht verbuiging

modulacjaodmiana

отклонение перегиб склонение

inflection

[ɪnˈflekʃən] N → inflexión f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

inflection

[ɪnˈflɛkʃ^ən] n

[voice] → inflexion f

(GRAMMAR) (= ending) → désinence f

inflection

[ɪnˈflɛkʃ/ən] n (of voice) → intonazione f, modulazione f (Gram) → flessione f
the inflection of nouns/verbs → la flessione nominale/verbale
point of inflection (Math) → punto di flesso

References in classic literature ?

Then in the increasing gale of the sea there would be a little private ship's storm going on in which you could detect strong language, pronounced in a tone of passion and exculpatory protestations uttered with every possible inflection of injured innocence.

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Nicholson, with a strong rising inflection. 'Robbed?

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Then would come the rhythm--a clapping of hands; the beating of a stick upon a log; the example of one that leaped with repetitions; or the chanting of one that uttered, explosively and regularly, with inflection that rose and fell, "A-bang, a-bang!

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For instance, whether or not there is an open passage from the nostrils to the mouth, the only character, according to Owen, which absolutely distinguishes fishes and reptiles--the inflection of the angle of the jaws in Marsupials--the manner in which the wings of insects are folded--mere colour in certain Algae--mere pubescence on parts of the flower in grasses--the nature of the dermal covering, as hair or feathers, in the Vertebrata.

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Her voice was high and rather shrill, and she often spoke with an anxious inflection, for she was exceedingly desirous that everything should go with due order and decorum.

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"Now!" said Sir Nathaniel, and settled down to listen, looking at Adam steadily and listening attentively that he might miss nothing-- even the inflection of a word.

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Then she started off on a regular catechism, if I could judge by her inflection, for I certainly understood no word of what she said.

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Presently she looked up and answered, with a rising inflection implying a shade of uncertainty,

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Monk, astonished at this language, which established between him and the French gentleman equality at least, raised his piercing eye to the stranger's face, and with a sensible irony conveyed by the inflection of his voice alone, for not a muscle of his face moved, -- "I thank you, monsieur," said he; "but, in the first place, to whom have I the honor of speaking?"

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And Madame de Cintre?" he added, with an interrogative inflection.

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He was aware that he was "talking big," like Denis Eady; but his reaction of joy had unsteadied him, and the inflection with which she had said of the engaged couple "They're so happy!" made the words sound as if she had been thinking of herself and him.

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There are plenty of witnesses --more than enough," he added with a disagreeable inflection; and taking Jane Porter by the arm, he started to lead her toward the waiting minister.