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Adnoun

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Adnoun is a linguistic term used with two different meanings.

Hyponym of adjective

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An adnoun is a kind of lexical category. In English, it is a word that is usually an adjective, but is being used as a noun.[1][2] The origin of the word is thought to date to around 1763-1792.[2] Often these usages are simply identified as the noun form of the word.[citation needed]

Examples:

  • "guide-dogs for the blind", "blind" is an adnoun because it stands in for the noun phrase "blind people"
  • "tax cuts for the rich", "rich" is an adnoun because it stands in for the noun phrase "rich people"

Synonym of adjective

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Adnoun is an alternative term, which is considered to be archaic, for adjective. As John Eliot states in his 1666 Indian Grammar Begun..., "An Adnoun is a part of Speech that attendeth upon a Noun, and signifieth the Qualification thereof."[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ "List of unusual words". The Phrontistery. Archived from the original on 7 October 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-11.
  2. ^ a b "Adnoun". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 2006-10-11.