SILGLOBALGlossary of
Linguistic Terms

Glossary term V

Verbal Noun

Definition

A verbal noun is a noun that is morphologically related to a verb and similar to it in meaning.

Examples

The word description, related to the word describe, is a verbal noun.

In the following example, walking is a verbal noun:

  • Brisk walking is good exercise.

    • See also

    Verb (Linguistics)

    Sources 6

    1. Crystal 1980, 374
    2. Hartmann and Stork 1972, 95, 249
    3. Schachter 1985, 10
    4. Mish 1991, 515, 1309
    5. Pei and Gaynor 1954, 83
    6. Palmer 1986, 156
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