main verb

English

Noun

Examples
I am going to Italy on holiday. Who would have believed it? I was listening to the radio while I was having a bath. (sense 2)

main verb (plural main verbs)

1. (grammar) In a clause, the verb with the highest semantic content, contrasted with auxiliary verb.
2. (grammar) In a sentence, the main-clause verb with the highest semantic content.

Synonyms

• full verb
• lexical verb

Antonyms

• auxiliary verb
• helping verb

Translations

verb in a clause with the highest semantic content

• Dutch: hoofdwerkwoord (nl) n
• Finnish: pääverbi
• French: verbe principal (fr) m
• German: Hauptverb
• Hungarian: főige
• Icelandic: aðalsögn (is) f
• Japanese: 本動詞 (hondōshi), 主動詞 (shudōshi)
• Korean: 본동사 (ko) (bondongsa)