Phrase guide

light verb

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A semantically incomplete verb which qualifies as a predicate only in combination with a predicative complement, usually a noun.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: vector verb, delexical verb, explicator verb, thin verb, empty verb

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: verb lleuger — thematically incomplete verb
  • Chinese Mandarin: 輕動詞 /轻动词 — thematically incomplete verb
  • Chinese Mandarin: 虛化動詞 /虚化动词 (xūhuàdòngcí) — thematically incomplete verb
  • Czech: kategoriální sloveso — thematically incomplete verb
  • Finnish: funktioverbi — thematically incomplete verb
  • French: verbe léger — thematically incomplete verb
  • German: Funktionsverb — thematically incomplete verb
  • Greek: απολεξικοποιημένο ρήμα (apolexikopoiiméno ríma) — thematically incomplete verb
  • Hungarian: könnyűige — thematically incomplete verb
  • Hungarian: funkcióige — thematically incomplete verb
  • Hungarian: igésítő ige — thematically incomplete verb
  • Italian: verbo leggero — thematically incomplete verb
  • Polish: czasownik niepełny semantycznie — thematically incomplete verb
  • Russian: функциона́льный глаго́л (funkcionálʹnyj glagól) — thematically incomplete verb
  • Spanish: verbo ligero — thematically incomplete verb
  • Swedish: funktionsverb — thematically incomplete verb