Origin of predicate

1400–50; (noun) late Middle English (< Middle French predicat) < Medieval Latin praedicātum, noun use of neuter of Latin praedicātus, past participle of praedicāre to declare publicly, assert, equivalent to prae- pre- + dicā(re) to show, indicate, make known + -tus past participle suffix; (v. and adj.) < Latin praedicātus; cf. preach

OTHER WORDS FROM predicate

Words nearby predicate

predial, prediastole, predicable, predicament, predicant, predicate, predicate adjective, predicate calculus, predicate nominative, predicate noun, predicate objective

Example sentences from the Web for predicative

British Dictionary definitions for predicative (1 of 2)

predicative
/ (prɪˈdɪkətɪv) /

adjective

grammar relating to or occurring within the predicate of a sentence a predicative adjective Compare attributive
logic (of a definition) given in terms that do not require quantification over entities of the same type as that which is thereby defined Compare impredicative

Derived forms of predicative

predicatively, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for predicative (2 of 2)

predicate

verb (ˈprɛdɪˌkeɪt) (mainly tr)

noun (ˈprɛdɪkɪt)

grammar
  1. the part of a sentence in which something is asserted or denied of the subject of a sentence; one of the two major components of a sentence, the other being the subject
  2. (as modifier)a predicate adjective
logic
  1. an expression that is derived from a sentence by the deletion of a name
  2. a property, characteristic, or attribute that may be affirmed or denied of something. The categorial statement all men are mortal relates two predicates, is a man and is mortal
  3. the term of a categorial proposition that is affirmed or denied of its subject. In this example all men is the subject, and mortal is the predicate
  4. a function from individuals to truth values, the truth set of the function being the extension of the predicate

adjective (ˈprɛdɪkɪt)

of or relating to something that has been predicated

Derived forms of predicate

predication, noun

Word Origin for predicate

C16: from Latin praedicāre to assert publicly, from prae in front, in public + dīcere to say

Cultural definitions for predicative

predicate
[ (pred-i-kuht) ]

The part of a sentence that shows what is being said about the subject. The predicate includes the main verb and all its modifiers. In the following sentence, the italicized portion is the predicate: “Olga's dog was the ugliest creature on four legs.”