adjectivation

Adjectivation, also called adjectivization, is a word-formation process in linguistics by which a base word—typically a noun or a verb—is turned into an adjective. It can occur through derivational affixation, adding a suffix (and occasionally a prefix) to create a new adjective, or through conversion, where the word changes its grammatical function without a distinctive form.

In English, noun-to-adjective derivation is common. Examples include wooden (from wood), silken or silky (from silk), stony (from stone) and bookish (from book). Verb-to-adjective derivation is also productive: creative (from create), explanatory (from explain), governing (from govern), and runnable (from run) illustrate adjectivation via suffixes such as -ive, -atory, -ing, and -able. Zero-derivation or conversion also occurs when a word acquires adjectival use without a distinct affix, particularly for color terms and evaluative senses like green or blue in certain contexts.

Semantically, adjectivated forms can express material or content (wooden, silken), quality or property (green, snowy), color, size or shape (huge, slender), or relational and origin-related meaning (European, culinary). The exact contribution of an adjectival form often depends on its derivational history and phonological shape, and different suffixes can carry subtle differences in meaning or scope.

Cross-linguisticly, adjectivation is widespread and varies in productive suffixes and patterns. Germanic languages frequently use suffixes such as -ish or -en; Romance languages deploy suffixes like -al, -oso, -ico, or -able to form adjectives with related semantic fields. The process plays a central role in building descriptive, attributive, and predicative grammars across languages.