preterite (redirected from preterites)

pret·er·ite or pret·er·it  (prtr-t)

adj.

Of, relating to, or being the verb tense that describes a past action or state.

n.

1. The verb form expressing or describing a past action or condition.

2. A verb in the preterite form.

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[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin (tempus) praeteritum, past (tense), neuter past participle of praeterre, to go by : praeter, beyond, comparative of prae, before; see per¹ in Indo-European roots + re, to go; see ei- in Indo-European roots.]

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preterite US, preterit [ˈprɛtərɪt] Grammar

n

1. (Linguistics / Grammar) a tense of verbs used to relate past action, formed in English by inflection of the verb, as jumped, swam

2. (Linguistics / Grammar) a verb in this tense

adj

(Linguistics / Grammar) denoting this tense

[from Late Latin praeteritum (tempus) past (time, tense), from Latin praeterīre to go by, from preter- + īre to go]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

preterite - a term formerly used to refer to the simple past tense preterit past tense, past - a verb tense that expresses actions or states in the past

Translations

preterite [ˈpretərɪt] N (Ling) → pretérito m

preterite [ˈpretərɪt] n → prétérit m

preterite, (esp US) preterit

adj verb → im Imperfekt; (in English) → im Präteritum; preterite form → Imperfekt-/Präteritumsform f; the preterite tense → das Imperfekt, das Präteritum

n → Imperfekt nt, → Präteritum nt; in the preterite → im Imperfekt/Präteritum

preterite [ˈprɛt/ərɪt] n → (tempo) passato, preterito