preterite

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Contents 1 English 1.1 Alternative spellings 1.2 Alternative forms 1.3 Etymology 1.4 Adjective 1.4.1 Translations 1.5 Noun 1.5.1 Related terms 1.5.2 Translations

[edit] English

[edit] Alternative spellings

• praeterite

[edit] Alternative forms

• preterit

[edit] Etymology

Recorded since 1340, from Old French preterit (13th century), < Latin præteritum (as in tempus præteritum "time past"), the past participle of præterire "to go by, go past", itself from præter "beyond, before, above, more than" (comparative of præ "before") + itum (the past participle of ire "to go").

[edit] Adjective

preterite (not comparable)

1. (grammar, of a tense) showing an action at a determined moment in the past.

[edit] Translations

[edit] Noun

preterite (uncountable)

• (grammar) The preterite tense, simple past tense: the grammatical tense that determines the specific initiation or termination of an action in the past.

[edit] Related terms

• preterition
• preteritive

[edit] Translations