suppletive

American  

[suh-plee-tiv, suhp-li-tiv] / səˈpli tɪv, ˈsʌp lɪ tɪv /

adjective

Grammar.

1. serving as an inflected form of a word with a totally different stem, as went, the suppletive past of go.

2. including one or more such forms.

   a suppletive paradigm.

3. characterized by the use of such forms.

   suppletive inflection.

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Etymology

Origin of suppletive

1810–20; < Medieval Latin supplētīvus, equivalent to Latin supplēt ( us ) (past participle of supplēre to fill up; suppletion ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

However, when the processes of change fall into regular categories and patterns—retronyms or suppletive verbs like to be—they illuminate something bigger.

From Economist