WordGarden.iouninflected
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˌʌnɪnflˈɛktɪd/
Meanings
Adjective
not changed in form to mark grammatical categories such as tense, case, number, or person
spoken or expressed with little change in pitch, tone, or emotional coloring
Beyond the definition
Imagine building with smooth wooden blocks instead of LEGO bricks. LEGO bricks have parts that let them connect in different ways, but smooth blocks stay the same wherever you place them. In language, uninflected describes a word form that does not change to show grammar such as tense, number, case, or gender. English still has some inflections, but it is less inflected than languages like Latin or Russian. The word also describes a person's voice. If someone speaks in an uninflected tone, they are not adding much feeling or emphasis to their words; the voice sounds flat and steady.
The term uninflected primarily describes a word form that has not been changed by grammatical endings or other inflectional changes. In linguistics, it often refers to a form that stays the same instead of marking things like tense, number, person, gender, or case. You can think of it as a form that does not bend to show its job in a sentence.
Historically, languages like Latin and Greek were highly inflected. A noun or verb could take many different endings depending on its role and meaning in the sentence. Modern English is less inflected by comparison. We often rely more on word order and helper words like "will," "did," or "more" than on changing the form of the word itself. For example, "must" is uninflected because it stays the same in "I must," "he must," and "they must." This idea helps explain one of the big differences between English and more heavily inflected languages.
Beyond linguistics, uninflected has another common meaning in writing and everyday speech: it describes a voice or speaking style that lacks much modulation or emotional emphasis. An uninflected delivery sounds flat, even, and controlled, without the rises and falls that often show excitement, sadness, surprise, or sarcasm. So the word can describe either grammar that stays unchanged or a voice that stays emotionally level.
Examples
- 1
Adjectives
In English, adjectives are usually uninflected, so we say "a tall tree" and "tall trees."
- 2
Modal verbs
After "can" and "must," the main verb stays uninflected: "can swim," not "can swims."
- Grammar
after "can" and "must," use the basic verb form
- 3
Grammar contrast
The grammar book contrasts uninflected forms with forms that take extra endings for tense, number, or case.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
- indeclinable
- unchanged
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- uninflected form
- uninflected word
- uninflected language
Word family
Explore
- morphology
- base form
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- uninflectedadjective