inflection

 
Pronunciation: /ɪnˈflɛkʃ(ə)n/
(chiefly British also inflexion)

noun

  • 1 Grammar a change in the form of a word (typically the ending) to express a grammatical function or attribute such as tense, mood, person, number, case, and gender: a set of word forms differing only in respect of inflections
  • [mass noun] the process or practice of inflecting words.
  • 2 [mass noun] the modulation of intonation or pitch in the voice: she spoke slowly and without inflection [count noun]: the variety of his vocal inflections
  • the variation of the pitch of a musical note.
  • 3chiefly Mathematics a change of curvature from convex to concave at a particular point on a curve: the point of inflection of the bell-shaped curve

Derivatives

inflectional

adjective

inflectionally

adverb

inflectionless

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'the action of bending inwards'): from Latin inflexio(n-), from the verb inflectere 'bend in, curve' (see inflect)

Grammar

Most nouns and verbs and many adjectives change their form according to how they are used in a sentence. This process is called inflection. Nouns inflect to show the plural: one car → several cars one child → several children Some adjectives inflect to make the comparative and superlative forms: tall → taller → tallest Verbs inflect to show number and person in the present tense: I work → she works They also inflect to show the difference between past and present tenses: I work → I worked I write → I wrote There are also inflections to form the present participle: write → writing and the past participle: write → written