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

See Examples For:

preterit

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 of the permissive subjunctive is formed by adding redomo to the preterit indicative; e.g., agueta redomo 'although he had offered it.'

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

Note.—The change in meaning from preterit to present, with retention of the preterit form, is not uncommon in other languages.

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

For the preterit participle the Da is changed to De; e.g.,

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

I was ydel, And so forth till the imperatif, saieng in the preterit imparfet: chomoie, Page 1015 I dyd worke.

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