word class
/wɜːrd klæs/a group of words that share similar grammatical functions and syntactic roles in a language
In English, 'run' belongs to the verb word class.
This means 'run' functions as an action word.
Determiners like 'the' and 'a' form their own word class.
These words modify nouns to specify quantity or definiteness.
Word classes are also called parts of speech in traditional grammar.
Collocations
Synonyms
Related Phrases
💡Pro Tip
Distinguishing word classes
Word classes are identified by their ability to fill specific roles in sentences, not by their meanings. For example, 'run' is a verb because it can be conjugated ('runs', 'ran'), not because it describes movement.
⚡Gold Rule
Function over meaning
Word classes are determined by grammatical function, not by the meaning of the word. For example, 'run' is a verb in 'She runs fast' but a noun in 'He took a run in the park'.
📖Word Origin
The term 'word class' combines 'word' (Old English 'word') and 'class' (Latin 'classis'), reflecting the categorization of words by their linguistic roles.
📝Usage Notes
In modern linguistics, word classes are often distinguished by their syntactic behavior rather than by semantic features.