inflectional

Everyday

1. (grammar) To do with inflection: changing the form of words to show grammar. tree →
2. Describing endings or languages that work this way: inflectional endings, an inflectional language. tree →

In the lessons

In grammar lessons: English inflectional endings are -s (plural, he walks), -'s (possessive), -ed, -ing, -en, -er and -est. They change grammar but not the basic meaning or word class. Phrases: inflectional ending, inflectional morphology, inflectional suffix.

Examples

• «-ing» is an inflectional ending. tree →
• Inflectional suffixes don't change the word class: «walk» and «walked» are both verbs. tree →
• Russian and Ukrainian have many inflectional endings. tree →
• The teacher listed English's eight inflectional endings. tree →
• «Happiness» uses a derivational suffix, not an inflectional one. tree →
• «Biggest» uses the inflectional ending «-est». tree →

Note

Adjective from «inflection». Contrast: inflectional suffixes (-s, -ed) keep the word in its class; derivational suffixes (-ness, -ly) can make a new word. A technical grammar word.