Adjectives

An adjective is a word that gives more information about a noun or pronoun. It helps describe or modify the subject, making it clearer or more vivid. Adjectives play a key role in adding detail, allowing us to better understand or picture things. For example, they can describe a warm day, a sweet dessert, or a courageous person. This is the adjective definition in simple terms.

What are Adjectives?

Adjectives are words that tell us more about “what kind,” “how many,” or “which one” regarding a noun or pronoun. They help us describe qualities (like beautiful, tall), quantities (like many, few), or even specific choices (like this, that). Think of adjectives as the magic that transforms a simple sentence into something exciting. For example:

Instead of saying, “I have a house,” you could say, “I have a cozy little house.”

Or, “She is a dancer” becomes “She is an incredible, graceful dancer.”

Examples of Adjectives in Action

• I have five apples in my basket. (How many?)
• Look at that blue sky! (Which one?)
• This cake is delicious and moist. (What kind?)

Types of Adjectives

Adjectives come in different forms depending on their function. Let’s explore the main types with examples:

1. Adjectives of Quantity

These adjectives describe how much or how many of something there is.
Examples:

• “I need some water to drink.”
• “You need a lot of patience to finish this.”

2. Adjectives of Quality

These adjectives describe the nature or characteristic of a noun or pronoun. They tell us what kind, how it looks, feels, or behaves.
Examples:

• “This is a beautiful garden.”
• “He is a kind person.”

3. Adjectives of Numbers (Numerical Adjectives)

These adjectives tell us the number or order of nouns.

Definite Numeral Adjectives: Indicate exact numbers.
Example: “There are five students in the room.”

Indefinite Numeral Adjectives: Indicate an approximate number.
Example: “There are many books on the shelf.”

Distributive Numeral Adjectives: Refer to individual members of a group.
Example: “Each student should submit their homework.”

4. Participial Adjectives

These adjectives are formed from verbs and end in -ing or -ed. They describe a state or condition.
Examples:

• “We crossed a damaged bridge.”
• “She ran to catch the moving bus.”

Types of Adjectives (Based on Function)

1. Demonstrative Adjectives

Used to point out specific nouns.
Examples:

• “This book is mine.”
• “Those shoes are too big for me.”

2. Interrogative Adjectives

Used in questions to ask about nouns.

Examples:

• “Which dress do you like?”
• “What time does the train arrive?”

3. Exclamatory Adjectives

Used to express strong emotion.
Examples:

• “What a beautiful sunset!”
• “What an amazing idea!”

4. Possessive Adjectives

Show ownership or possession.
Examples:

• “My car is parked outside.”
• “Their garden is full of flowers.”

5. Emphasizing Adjectives

Used to stress or highlight the noun.
Examples:

• “Mind your own business.”
• “That is your responsibility.”

Adjective Forms: Positive, Comparative, and Superlative

Adjectives can vary in intensity or degree, depending on what they describe. These forms are used to compare things, people, or actions. Let’s explore the three main degrees of adjectives:

1. Positive Degree

The positive degree is the base form of an adjective. It describes a single thing without any comparison. It’s also used to denote equality when paired with words like as…as or so…as.

Examples:

“This cake is sweet.” (Describes the cake without comparison.)

“Myra is as tall as her sister.” (Shows equality between Myra and her sister.)

2. Comparative Degree

The comparative form is used to compare two things, people, or actions. It often ends in -er or is preceded by the word more.

Examples:

“Myra is taller than Rina.”

“This book is more interesting than the last one.”

3. Superlative Degree

The superlative form is used to compare someone or something to the entire group it belongs to. It often ends in -est or is preceded by the word most.

Examples:

“Myra is the tallest girl in their class.”

“This is the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen.”

Key Points regarding adjective definition:

• Use the positive degree when there is no comparison or to show equality.
• Use the comparative degree to highlight a difference between two entities.
• Use the superlative degree to identify the extreme quality within a group.
• Degrees of Comparison: Commonly Used Words

The table below includes examples of commonly used adjectives:

Positive	Comparative	Superlative
brave	braver	bravest
cold	colder	coldest
bright	brighter	brightest
strong	stronger	strongest
fast	faster	fastest
kind	kinder	kindest
clever	cleverer	cleverest
small	smaller	smallest
young	younger	youngest
warm	warmer	warmest
cheap	cheaper	cheapest
close	closer	closest
rich	richer	richest
wise	wiser	wisest
tall	taller	tallest
clean	cleaner	cleanest
dark	darker	darkest
simple	simpler	simplest
far	farther	farthest
friendly	friendlier	friendliest

Adjectives can often be created by adding specific suffixes to nouns, verbs, or other adjectives. These suffixes help to change the word’s form and function, allowing it to describe or modify nouns. Here’s how adjectives can be formed:

1. Adjectives from Nouns

Adding suffixes to nouns can create adjectives that describe characteristics or qualities.

• Examples:
  • Beauty → Beautiful
  • Hope → Hopeful
  • Child → Childish
  • Joy → Joyful
  • Danger → Dangerous

2. Adjectives from Verbs

Suffixes added to verbs turn them into adjectives, often describing actions or states.

• Examples:
  • Talk → Talkative
  • Create → Creative
  • Use → Useful
  • Annoy → Annoying
  • Enjoy → Enjoyable

3. Adjectives from Adjectives

Sometimes, adding suffixes to an adjective enhances or changes its meaning.

• Examples:
  • Happy → Happier → Happiest
  • Blue → Bluish
  • Able → Unable
  • Wide → Wider

Common Suffixes Used to Form Adjectives

• -ful: Joyful, Hopeful
• -ous: Dangerous, Curious
• -ish: Childish, Foolish
• -ive: Active, Creative
• -able/-ible: Comfortable, Visible
• -less: Careless, Hopeless
• -al: Natural, Personal
• -y: Sunny, Tasty
• -ic: Heroic, Artistic

Check Your Knowledge of Adjective Definition

Identify the adjectives in the following sentences:

1.  She wore a yellow scarf.
2. There are five chairs in the room.
3. The soup tastes spicy
4. My sister is cheerful.
5. The book I read yesterday was interesting.
6. Leonardo da Vinci was a brilliant painter.
7. The climate in Mumbai is humid during summer.
8. Today is a perfect day for a picnic.
9. It was an amazing performance
10. Mount Everest is the highest peak in the world.

Answers:

1. The adjective is yellow. It describes the color of the scarf.
2. The adjective is five. It tells the number of chairs.
3. The adjective is spicy. It describes the taste of the soup.
4. The adjective is cheerful. It explains the behavior of my sister.
5. The adjective is interesting. It describes the quality of the book.
6. The adjective is brilliant. It describes Leonardo da Vinci’s skill.
7. The adjective is humid. It explains the condition of the climate.
8. The adjective is perfect. It explains the suitability of the day.
9. The adjective is amazing. It explains the quality of the performance.
10. The adjective is highest. It describes the peak’s height.

Frequently Asked Questions About Adjective Definition

1. What is an adjective definition?

An adjective is a word that gives more details about a noun or pronoun. It describes qualities, amounts, or features.

2. What is the meaning of an adjective?

The Cambridge Dictionary says an adjective is “a word that describes a noun or pronoun.”
According to the Oxford Dictionary, an adjective is “a word like ‘big’, ‘red’, or ‘happy’ that tells us about a person or thing.”
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary says an adjective “describes the quality, quantity, or identity of something.”

3. What are the types of adjectives?

Adjectives have three forms:

• Positive Form: Shows a simple quality (e.g., tall, big).
• Comparative Form: Compares two things (e.g., taller, bigger).
• Superlative Form: Compares more than two things (e.g., tallest, biggest).