adj

Adj is the conventional abbreviation for adjective, a part of speech that modifies nouns or noun phrases to express properties, qualities, or relations. Adjectives provide information about size, color, shape, origin, material, mood, evaluation, and more.

In syntax, adjectives function in two primary positions. Attributive adjectives appear directly before the noun (a red apple, small car). Predicative adjectives occur after a linking verb (The apple is red, The car seems fast). Some languages also allow postnominal adjectives in certain constructions, while others require adjectives to precede the noun. Adjectives can combine with intensifiers and degree modifiers (very tall, somewhat efficient).

Morphology and inflection vary by language. In English, adjectives do not mark gender or number and typically do not inflect for case, though degree forms (positive, comparative, superlative) are common (big, bigger, biggest; good, better, best). Many languages, by contrast, require adjective agreement with the noun in gender, number, or case, and may modify adjectives for definiteness or other grammatical features.

Adjective order within noun phrases is often governed by conventional sequencing. A common guideline in English places adjectives in a preferred order, such as opinion, size, age, shape, color, origin, material, purpose (a beautiful old Italian wooden table). However, native usage and emphasis can alter this order, and some adjectives are restricted to certain positions.

In length and scope, adj usage spans everyday language, formal prose, and linguistic description. In dictionaries and grammar references, adj is the standard abbreviation used to denote adjective.