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verbal

Etymology and origin of the English word verbal

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
probably before 1425
Borrowed from
Middle French verbal
Ultimate origin
Latin (verbum)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˈvɜː.bəl/, US /ˈvɝː.bəl/[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Middle French verbal and directly Late Latin verbālis (“consisting of words, relating to verbs”),[2][3][4][5] from Latin verbum (“word, verb”) (see verb and word).[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Dealing with words, especially mere words as opposed to things: probably before 1425 in Barnhart, the early 15th century in Etymonline, 1484 in the OED.[2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

Consisting of words, and relating to a verb, is from the 1520s or 1530;[3][6] the noun, a word derived from a verb, is from 1530, in Palsgrave.[2][4] Expressed in spoken words is from the 1590s, and word-for-word from the 1610s.[3] Talkative, articulate is from 1611.[6] Verbal diarrhoea, extreme talkativeness, is attested by 1823,[3][6] and verbal conditioning from 1954.[3] Verbalize meant to use too many words in 1609, and to put into words from 1875.[2] Collins records slang uses, abuse and a criminal's spoken admission.[7]

Timeline

  • probably before 1425 – verbal.[2]
  • 1530 – a verbal (noun).[2]
  • 1590s – spoken.[3]
  • 1609 – verbalize.[2]
  • 1823 – verbal diarrhoea.[3][6]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Of, relating to or using words: merely verbal concessions.
  2. Spoken rather than written: a verbal agreement.
  3. Word for word; verbatim.
  4. (grammar) Of, relating to or derived from a verb.

Noun

  1. (grammar) A noun or adjective formed from a verb.
  2. (slang, plural) Verbal abuse.

Word family

  • verbally
  • verbalize
  • interverbal
  • nonverbal
  • subverbal
  • verbalist
  • verbal noun
  • verbal adjective
  • verbalism
  • verbality
  • verbiage
  • verb
  • verbatim
  • verbose
  • word
  • proverb

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ Pearsall, Judy, ed. (1998), The New Oxford Dictionary of English, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Verbal.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/verbal. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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