predicate

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun (logic) what is predicated of the subject of a proposition; the second term in a proposition is predicated of the first term by means of the copula
  2. noun one of the two main constituents of a sentence; the predicate contains the verb and its complements
  3. verb make the (grammatical) predicate in a proposition

Etymology

From Middle English predicat(e), from Old French predicat (French prédicat), from Medieval Latin praedicātum (“thing said of a subject, predicate”), substantivized from the nominative neuter singular of praedicātus, the perfect passive participle praedicō (“to proclaim”), see -ate (noun-forming suffix); see also Etymology 2 below. The adjective was derived from the noun by metanalysis, see -ate (adjective-forming suffix).

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