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present participle
[ prez-uhnt pahr-tuh-sip-uhl ]
noun
- Grammar. a participle, in English having the suffix -ing, that expresses repetition or duration of an activity or event: used as an adjective, as in the growing weeds and the setting sun, and also in forming progressive verb constructions, as in The weeds are growing and The sun was setting.
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Word History and Origins
Origin of present participle1
First recorded in 1700–10
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How does present participle compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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[tawr-choo-uhs ]
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