verbal noun

[ vur-buhl noun ]

noun

, Grammar.

1. a noun derived from a verb, especially by a process applicable to most or all verbs. In English, a verbal noun uses the -ing form, as in , or the infinitive form, as in In Latin, examples of verbal nouns include dictiō “act of speaking, utterance” (from dīcere “to say, tell, speak”) and cantus “singing, song” (from canere ”to sing“).

   Eating is fun

   To see is to believe.

verbal noun

noun

1. a noun derived from a verb, such as smoking in the sentence smoking is bad for you See also gerund

Word History and Origins

Origin of verbal noun¹

First recorded in 1700–10

Example Sentences

Good examples from Khmer (Cambodgian) are tmeu “one who walks” and daneu “walking” (verbal noun), both derived from deu “to walk.”

From Project Gutenberg

The phrase illustrates the difference between the participle and the verbal noun (or whatever it may be called) in -ing.

From Project Gutenberg

Aren, or aen, eco-aco-co are case terminations; tcea-cea marks the verbal noun.

From Project Gutenberg

The so-called imperfect subjunctive turns out to be a verbal noun with a preposition.

From Project Gutenberg

What is the rule about names composed of a plain noun and a verbal noun?

From Project Gutenberg