conjugation
/,kɔndʤu'geiʃn/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The inflection of verbs: In grammar, "conjugation" refers to the systematic arrangement of the different forms (inflections) of a verb according to tense, mood, person, number, etc.
- A class of verbs having the same inflectional forms: It also denotes a group or category of verbs that follow the same pattern of inflection.
- The complete set of inflected forms of a verb: This meaning refers to the entire paradigm of a specific verb, showing all its possible forms.
- The act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes; mating: In biology, "conjugation" describes a form of sexual reproduction or genetic exchange, especially in certain bacteria, algae, and protozoa.
- The state of being joined together; union: A more general, formal sense meaning the act of uniting or the state of being united.
Usage Examples
- Noun (Grammar):
- Learning the conjugation of irregular verbs can be challenging for students.
- The verb "to be" has an irregular conjugation in English.
- This textbook lists all the conjugations for the present tense.
- Noun (Biology):
- Bacterial conjugation involves the transfer of genetic material between cells.
- The process of conjugation in paramecia was observed under the microscope.
- Noun (Union):
- The conjugation of these two ideas created a powerful new theory. (Note: This usage is formal and less common than "union" or "combination").
Advanced Usage
- In formal or technical writing: The term is most frequently used in its grammatical or biological senses. The sense of "union" is highly formal and often found in academic or philosophical texts.
- The philosophical text discussed the conjugation of mind and body.
Variants and Related Words
- Conjugate (verb): To give the different forms of a verb; to unite or join together.
- Can you conjugate the verb "to have" in the past tense?
- Conjugal (adjective): Relating to marriage or the relationship between spouses.
- conjugal vows, conjugal rights
- Conjugator (noun): A tool or person that conjugates verbs.
Synonyms
- Grammar: Inflection, declension (specifically for nouns/adjectives), paradigm.
- Biology: Mating, pairing, coupling.
- Union: Unification, combination, merging, junction.
Related Phrases
- Conjugation table/chart: A chart that displays all the inflected forms of a verb.
- Refer to the conjugation table at the back of the book.
- Verb conjugation: The specific act or system of conjugating verbs.
- Spanish verb conjugation has more distinct forms than English.
Related Idioms
(There are no common idioms directly built on the word "conjugation." Its usage is primarily technical.)
Noun
- the act of making or becoming a single unit
- the union of opposing factions
- he looked forward to the unification of his family for the holidays
- the act of pairing a male and female for reproductive purposes
- the casual couplings of adolescents
- the mating of some species occurs only in the spring
- a class of verbs having the same inflectional forms
- the complete set of inflected forms of a verb
- the inflection of verbs
- the state of being joined together