preformative

English

Etymology 1

From pre- (prefix meaning ‘before; physically in front of’) +‎ formative, modelled after Late Latin praeformativus (originally used in relation to the grammar of Semitic languages).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /priˈfoɹmətɪv/

Noun

preformative (plural preformatives)

1. (chiefly in Semitic languages) a formative letter, syllable, etc., at the beginning of a word.

   Synonym: preformant

   Coordinate term: afformative

   • 1828, Moses Stuart, A Grammar of the Hebrew Language:

     Ch. a prefix prep. as in Hebrew, the sign of the dative; also of the genitive and accusative; and as a conj. before the future, which then rejects the preformative, that

Related terms

• preforming

Translations

formative letter, syllable, etc., at the beginning of a word

• Arabic: please add this translation if you can
• German: Präformativ, Präformativum n (archaic)
• Hebrew: please add this translation if you can
• Latin: praeformativus
• Spanish: preformativo

Adjective

preformative (not comparable)

1. Of or pertaining to preformation.
2. Of a thing: forming or affecting something that comes later.
3. (grammar, chiefly in Semitic languages) of a letter, syllable, etc.: attached to the beginning of a word as a formative element.

Translations

of or pertaining to preformation

of a thing: forming or affecting something that comes later

of a letter, syllable, etc.: attached to the beginning of a word as a formative element

• German: präformativ

Etymology 2

In many cases merely a typo; less commonly, sometimes due to a misapprehension of morphology.

Noun

preformative (plural preformatives)

1. Misspelling of performative.

Related terms

• preform (common misspelling of perform)
• preformance (common misspelling of performance)

Further reading

• prefix on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• performative