preterit

American  

[pret-er-it] / ˈprɛt ər ɪt /

Or preterite

noun

Grammar.

1. in English, the simple past, or an instance or form of a specific verb in the simple past, such as ate or walked.

2. a verb tense, construction, or form in another language with a meaning similar to that of the simple past in English.

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adjective

1. Grammar. designating a verb tense expressing a past action or state.

2. Archaic. bygone; past.

Other Word Forms

• preteritness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of preterit

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin praeteritus “past, gone by,” past participle of praeterīre “to go by,” from praeter- preter- + īre “to go”; as tense name, from Latin (tempus) praeteritum “(time) past”

Example Sentences

All the other verbs belonging to Class I. add -de for the preterit and -ed for the past participle.

From Anglo-Saxon Grammar and Exercise Book with Inflections, Syntax, Selections for Reading, and Glossary by Smith, C. Alphonso (Charles Alphonso)

The preterit must ever have this verbe infynityve moode: auoir, before hym, as auoir parl�, auoir dit, auoir mordz, etc.

From An Introductorie for to Lerne to Read, To Pronounce, and to Speke French Trewly by Du Wés, Giles

Harmony is restored if you make out of the preterit a pluperfect, and read the passage thus:—When Noah was five hundred years old he had begotten Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

From Commentary on Genesis, Vol. II Luther on Sin and the Flood by Lenker, John Nicholas

The preterit of the second permissive is formed by suffixing ritomo to the preterit indicative; e.g., agueta ritomo 'although he had offered it.'

From Diego Collado's Grammar of the Japanese Language by Spear, Richard L.

In the preterit add Ta to the root.

From Diego Collado's Grammar of the Japanese Language by Spear, Richard L.