catenative
noun
cat·e·na·tive
ˈkatəˌnātiv,
ˈkatᵊnˌātiv,
-atə-,
-ātiv
variants
or catenative verb
or less commonly catenative auxiliary
plural -s
: a verb often followed by a function word (such as to or on) that occupies a position other than final in a succession of two or more verbs together forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence (such as ought in "I ought to go home now" and try and keep in "they tried to keep on working")
Dictionary Entries Near catenative
Cite this Entry
“Catenative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catenative. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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