Transitivity - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Transitivity refers to a property of verbs that indicates whether they require a direct object to complete their meaning. For example, eat is transitive because it needs an object (e.g., eat an apple), while sleep is intransitive because it does not.
Definition:
The property of a verb requiring a direct object to complete its meaning.
Synonyms:
transitivity relation, grammatical transitivity, verb property
Part of Speech:
noun
Antonyms:
intransitivity, reflexivity
Common Collocations:
transitive verbs, test for transitivity, degree of transitivity
Derivatives:
transitive, transitively, intransitive
Usage Tips:
Use "transitivity" when discussing whether a verb requires an object to make sense in a sentence.
Common Phrases:
transitive relation, transitivity test, transitivity in grammar
Etymology:
From Latin "transitivus," meaning "passing over," referring to action passing from subject to object.
Examples:
- 1. The teacher explained the concept of transitivity in class today.
- 2. Transitivity helps determine if a verb needs an object to be complete.
- 3. Not all languages follow the same rules of transitivity as English does.
- 4. Students practiced identifying transitivity by analyzing sentences in pairs.