noncomparative

Noncomparative is a term used in linguistics to describe a word or construction that does not participate in comparison. It is most often applied to adjectives and adverbs that do not form comparative or superlative degrees, or that are treated as non-gradable in standard usage. In many grammars, adjectives are categorized by whether they can modify a scale or degree; gradable adjectives (tall, faster) can take comparative forms, while non-gradable or absolute adjectives (unique, perfect, dead) are typically not used with the usual comparative suffixes or modifiers.

The distinction between gradable and non-gradable forms underpins how noncomparatives are analyzed. Noncomparatives convey meaning without implying a relative ranking among entities. This can arise from semantic properties that are seen as endpoints, absolutes, or binary states. In practice, dictionaries and grammars may label certain adjectives as noncomparative or non-gradable, noting that standard comparative constructions are either ungrammatical or discouraged in ordinary usage.

Noncomparatives also appear in cross-linguistic contexts. Some languages lack a productive comparative morphology for certain adjectives or use separate, non-degree expressions to convey intensity or extremity. Additionally, adverbs may be described as noncomparative when they do not participate in degree modification in the same way as adjectives.

Usage and analysis can vary by context and prescriptive stance. While many adjectives in English allow degrees in casual speech through metaphorical or hyperbolic phrasing, the core concept of noncomparative remains a useful category for describing words that resist standard comparison.