infinitive

[ in-fin-i-tiv ]

noun

1. : infin.
   1. in English, the simple or basic form of a verb, with no endings to indicate the verb’s subject or tense, such as come, take, eat, be: used after auxiliary verbs or preceded by the word to, and sometimes functioning as a noun, such as He must be, I want to eat, To love is to understand. Compare finite verb ( def ).
   2. a verb form found in many other languages that has a similar function, such as French venir “to come” or Latin esse “to be.”

adjective

1. consisting of or containing an infinitive: : infin.

   an infinitive construction.

infinitive

/ ɪnˈfɪnɪtɪv; ˌɪnfɪnɪˈtaɪvəl /

noun

1. a form of the verb not inflected for grammatical categories such as tense and person and used without an overt subject. In English, the infinitive usually consists of the word to followed by the verb

infinitive

1. The simple or dictionary form of a verb : walk , think , fly , exist . Often the word to marks a verb as an infinitive: “to walk,” “to think,” “to fly,” “to exist.”

Derived Forms

• infinitival, adjective
• inˈfinitively, adverb

Other Words From

• in·fin·i·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of infinitive¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Late Latin infīnītīvus “indefinite”; equivalent to in- ³ + finite + -ive

Example Sentences

Perhaps speke (better speken) is an infinitive in l. 350, but it may also be the pt.

From Project Gutenberg

This ending terminates the past participles of verbs whose infinitive ends in e.

From Project Gutenberg

An example of the present infinitive used after aprs (cf. il est parti aprs avoir bu un verre d'eau).

From Project Gutenberg

The use of tre for aller when followed by an infinitive is inelegant, though the construction is sometimes used by good writers.

From Project Gutenberg

Instead of the infinitive moods and plural numbers ending in -n as in Holland, the former end in -a, the latter in -ar.

From Project Gutenberg