inflection

noun
UK: /ɪnˈflek.ʃən/
US: /ɪnˈflek.ʃən/

  1. A change in the form of a word to show a different grammatical function, like plural or past tense.

    1. The inflection '-s' makes 'cat' plural cats, showing more than one cat
    2. English uses inflection less than some languages, relying more on word order.

  2. A change in the pitch or tone of your voice.

    1. Her voice had an inflection of excitement, suggesting some fun things to do.
    2. The speaker used vocal inflection to emphasize key points during their presentation.

Synonyms

intonation declension variation conjugation modulation

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "inflection" in English means: A change in the form of a word to show a different grammatical function, like plural or past tense., A change in the pitch or tone of your voice..

The phonetic transcription of "inflection" is /ɪnˈflek.ʃən/ in British English and /ɪnˈflek.ʃən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "inflection": intonation, declension, variation, conjugation, modulation.

Example usage of "inflection": "The inflection '-s' makes 'cat' plural cats, showing more than one cat". More examples on the page.