Standard Lemma guide

transitivity

noun · 4 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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  • /ˌtɹænzɪˈtɪvɪti/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The degree in which any one verb can take or govern objects.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

Examples

  • There are 3 cardinal degrees of transitivity of any one verb: intransitive, monotransitive and ditransitive.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: monotransitivity, ditransitivity

2

noun

Meaning 2

The property of being transitive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: human-sciences, logic, mathematics, philosophy, sciences

Examples

  • The hypothetical syllogism inference rule states the transitivity of implication.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

the grammatical relation created by a transitive verb

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: transitiveness

Antonyms: intransitivity

Broader terms: grammatical relation

4

noun

Meaning 4

(logic and mathematics) a relation between three elements such that if it holds between the first and second and it also holds between the second and third it must necessarily hold between the first and third

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: logical relation, mathematical relation

History

Etymology

From French transitivité. Morphologically transitive + -ity.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Azerbaijani: təsirlilik — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Chinese Mandarin: 及物性 (jíwùxìng) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Dutch: overgankelijkheid — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Dutch: transitiviteit — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Finnish: transitiivisuus — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • French: transitivité — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Galician: transitividade — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Georgian: გარდამავლობა (gardamavloba) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • German: Transitivität — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Greek: επαγωγή (epagogí) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Greek: μεταβατικότητα (metavatikótita) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Italian: transitività — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Polish: przechodniość — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Portuguese: transitividade — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Romanian: tranzitivitate — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Russian: перехо́дность (perexódnostʹ) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Russian: транзити́вность (tranzitívnostʹ) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Spanish: transitividad — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Swedish: transitivitet — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Ukrainian: перехі́дність (perexídnistʹ) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects
  • Ukrainian: транзити́вність (tranzytývnistʹ) — the degree in which a verb can govern objects