verbaux

Verbaux is a term that occurs chiefly in French-language contexts as the masculine plural form of the adjective verbal. In modern French, verbaux describes things relating to words or spoken language, and it can appear in phrases such as preuve verbale (verbal evidence) or contrat verbal (oral contract). The feminine plural is verbales, while the singular is verbal.

In English-language or broader linguistic writing, verbaux is not standard and most authors use verbal, verbal form, or related terms instead. When the word is encountered in English texts, it often signals a direct quotation of a francophone source or a scholarly usage derived from French.

Beyond linguistics, verbaux may also occur as a surname and can appear in place names or historical references in regions with French influence. It is not a widely used technical term in contemporary English linguistics and tends to be encountered mainly in francophone sources or discussions of French grammar.

Etymology: The French adjective verbal derives from Latin verbum meaning “word.” The form verbaux reflects the typical French pluralization pattern for adjectives ending in -al, which commonly becomes -aux in the masculine plural.

See also: verbal, verbum, parole, preuve verbale.