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inflect

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Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionaryin·flect \in-ˈflekt\ verb ETYMOLOGY Middle English, from Latin inflectere, from in- + flectere to bend DATE 15th centurytransitive verb1. to turn from a direct line or course : curve2. to vary (a word) by inflection : decline, conjugate3. to change or vary the pitch of (as the voice)4. to affect or alter noticeably : influence an approach inflected by feminismintransitive verb: to become modified by inflection• in·flect·able \-ˈflek-tə-bəl\ adjective• in·flec·tive \-ˈflek-tiv\ adjectiveEnglish Etymologyinflect c.1425, "to bend inward," from L. inflectere (pp. inflexus) "to bend in, change," from in- "in" + flectere "to bend." Grammatical sense is attested 1668; pronunciation sense (in inflection) is c.1600.Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7inflectin·flect / in5flekt / verb[V] (grammar 语法) if a word inflects, its ending or spelling changes according to its grammatical function in a sentence; if a languageinflects, it has words that do this 屈折变化；词尾变化• in·flect·ed adj. [usually before noun] : an inflected language / form / verb 有屈折变化的语言；屈折变化形式/动词 Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridgedin·flect\ə̇nˈflekt\ verb(-ed/-ing/-s)Etymology: Middle English inflecten, from Latin inflectere, from in- in- (II) + flectere to bend, turntransitive verb1. : to turn from a direct line or course : bend, curve < in him … snobbery reappeared … as the refusal of reality unless it was highly inflected — V.S.Pritchett > < profound feeling for music has inflected all his major works — Irving Kolodin >2. : to give inflection to (a word) : vary (a word) by inflection :decline < inflect a noun >: conjugate < inflect a verb >3. : to change or vary the pitch of (as the voice or an utterance) :modulate4. : to bend (part of a plant) inward toward the main axis of the part or bodyintransitive verb: to become modified by inflection < languages in which adjectives inflect like nouns >

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