pred.

Writing & Everyday abbreviation · Grammar and Dictionary

pred.
Stands forPredicative
CategoriesWriting & Everyday

pred. stands for Predicative, a grammar and dictionary abbreviation.

Labels an adjective used only after a linking verb such as "be," "seem" or "become," not before a noun. Words like "afraid," "asleep" and "alive" are typical predicative adjectives.

Example: asleep (adj.) pred. sleeping: "The baby is asleep," but not "an asleep baby"

Usage notes

Many predicative-only adjectives begin with a-, a remnant of Old English prepositional phrases; "asleep" comes from "on slæpe." The opposite label is attrib. (attributive). Learner's dictionaries may print [not before noun] instead.

More grammar and dictionary abbreviations

  • PIE – Proto-Indo-European
  • pl. – Plural
  • poet. – Poetic
  • POS – Part of speech
  • poss. – Possessive
  • pp. – Past participle
  • prep. – Preposition
  • pres. – Present (tense)
  • pron. – Pronoun
  • refl. – Reflexive
  • rel. – Relative
  • RP – Received Pronunciation

See all 93 grammar and dictionary abbreviations →

Edited by the AbbreviationList.com team. Spotted an error or a missing meaning? Contact us.