attributive

IPA/əˈtrɪbjətɪv/
IPA/əˈtrɪbjətɪv/

attributive — 形容詞

  • attributivepositive
  • more attributivecomparative
  • most attributivesuperlative

1. in grammar, describing a word or phrase that sits directly in front of a noun an

1.形容詞C2
釋義

定語

指放在名詞前作修飾

in grammar, describing a word or phrase that sits directly in front of a noun and modifies it, as 'red' in 'a red bag' or 'school' in 'school bus'

例句

In 'a noisy street', noisy is attributive because it comes before the noun.

在 "a noisy street" 裡，noisy 是定語用法，因為它放在名詞前面。

definition cue: before the noun

The teacher marked 'school' as an attributive noun in the phrase 'school bus'.

老師把 "school bus" 裡的 school 標成定語名詞。

collocation: attributive noun

同義詞
  • prenominal

    more technical and strongly focused on position before the noun

  • adnominal

    broader technical term for something attached to a noun, not always limited to this exact position

  • noun-modifying

    plain descriptive label rather than a formal grammar term

反義詞
  • predicative

    used after a linking verb instead of before the noun

  • postpositive

    placed directly after the noun it modifies

文法句型

be attributive

attributive + adjective

attributive + noun

attributive + use / position

用法筆記

Most often appears in grammar teaching or linguistics, especially in patterns like 'be attributive' and 'an attributive adjective'. Distinguish from 'predicative', which describes a word used after a linking verb, as in 'the child is happy'.

常見錯誤

❌In "the child is happy", happy is attributive.
✅In "the happy child", happy is attributive.
💡'attributive' means the word comes before the noun it modifies.
❌Quickly is attributive in "She ran quickly.
✅School is attributive in "school uniform.
💡adverbs modify verbs, but attributive words modify nouns.