complementizer
[ kom-pluh-muh n-tahy-zer ]
/ ˈkɒm plə mənˌtaɪ zər /
noun Linguistics.
an element or elements marking a complement clause, as that in We thought that you forgot, for … to in For you to go all the way there would be silly, or possessive …-ing in Barbara's leaving so early worried them.
Origin of complementizer
Words nearby complementizer
British Dictionary definitions for complementizer
complementizer
/ (ˈkɒmplɪmənˌtaɪzə) /
noun
generative grammar
a word or morpheme that serves to introduce a complement clause or a reduced form of such a clause, as that in I wish that he would leave