Tell me more ×
English Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for linguists, etymologists, and serious English language enthusiasts. It's 100% free, no registration required.

Is there a specific name or term for words that are the adjective form of nouns? Like "salty" from "salt", "Freudian" from "Freud", "glossy" from "gloss", etc.? What about adjective forms of verbs "loathsome" from "loathe"? Or verb forms of nouns like "to telephone"?

share|improve this question
Do you mean other than "Derivative Word Forms"? – Jim Aug 20 '12 at 0:18

2 Answers

up vote 4 down vote accepted

From Introduction to the Grammar of English - Rodney D. Huddleston (1984)

The most straightforward type of adjectivalisation involves affixation, as in the formation of heroic.

share|improve this answer
+1 Now there's a word you don't hear every day. This may, in fact, be the only time in my life I will ever hear it. ;-) – Jim Aug 20 '12 at 1:10
   
@Jim If you’re lucky, that is. – tchrist Aug 20 '12 at 1:33
@Jim: Go on! Indulge yourself! There's also adverbialisation if you fancy getting really down and dirty! – FumbleFingers Aug 20 '12 at 1:37

One uses derivational morphology to derive an adjective from a noun, creating derivative forms.

Although you don’t always have to. You can sometimes just use it attributively.

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.