stative

stative — adjective

IPA/ˈsteɪtɪv/
IPA/ˈsteɪtɪv/
  • stativepositive
  • more stativecomparative
  • most stativesuperlative

1. used of a word, especially a verb, when it presents a condition, feeling, or rel

1.adjectiveC1
Definition

used of a word, especially a verb, when it presents a condition, feeling, or relationship instead of an event or deliberate act

Example

In the grammar lecture, Ms Patel explained that 'know' is stative, not dynamic.

contrast: stative vs dynamic verb

Felix wrote 'like' under stative verbs on the whiteboard during class.

collocation: stative verb

Common collocations
  • stative verb
  • stative meaning
  • stative reading
  • stative use
Antonyms
  • dynamic

    describes verbs or meanings that present actions or events rather than states

  • eventive

    a formal contrast term that stresses something happening, beginning, or changing

Grammar Patterns

stative verb

stative reading

be stative

Usage Note

Most often appears before 'verb' in grammar writing. These verbs normally resist progressive forms unless the meaning shifts, as in 'I'm loving it'.

Common Mistakes

The lake looked stative all morning.
The lake looked static all morning.
'stative' is a grammar label about states, not a word for physical stillness.
I am knowing the answer.
I know the answer.
stative verbs usually avoid progressive forms unless the meaning changes.

stative — noun

IPA/ˈsteɪ.tɪv/
IPA/ˈsteɪ.t̬ɪv/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

In grammar, stative and state verb point to the same broad idea: a verb that presents a condition, feeling, possession, or relationship rather than an action. State verb is the plainer classroom label, while stative is the shorter term more common in linguistics books, grammar notes, and dictionary labels. Dynamic is the main opposite: dynamic verbs present actions or events and more easily appear in progressive forms, as in 'She is running'. Eventive is a more formal contrast word that highlights something happening, beginning, or changing. So a teacher might say 'own is a stative verb', while a linguist might say 'own has a stative reading in this sentence'.

stative ↗state verbdynamic ↗eventive

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • stative verb
  • stative meaning
  • stative reading
  • stative use

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Stative is a modern English grammar term built from state plus the adjective-forming ending -ive. State came into English through French from Latin status, related to stare, 'to stand'. Linguists use stative for meanings that stay in a condition or relationship instead of unfolding as an event, which is why the word appears most often in phrases such as 'stative verb' and 'stative meaning'.

First known use

1874

1874, in the meaning defined above