inflection
noun
Derivatives
Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense 'the action of bending inward'): 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
