transitive

/ˈtrænsɪtɪv/

Other forms: transitives

Use the adjective transitive when you're talking about a verb that needs both a subject and at least one object, like "give" in this sentence: "I will give you a cupcake if you're really nice."

You're only going to hear the word transitive in a grammar lesson, although you probably use transitive verbs all the time. While an intransitve verb, like to die, doesn't need an object — you can say "My dog died," for example — a transitive verb has a direct object upon which an action is performed. This grammatical meaning has been in use since the 1500s.

Definitions of transitive

1. adjective

   designating a verb that requires a direct object to complete the meaning
   antonyms:

   intransitive

   designating a verb that does not require or cannot take a direct object
2. noun

   a verb (or verb construction) that requires an object in order to be grammatical
   synonyms: transitive verb, transitive verb form

   types:

   doubly transitive verb, doubly transitive verb form

   a transitive verb that takes both a direct and an indirect object

   type of:

   verb

   the word class that serves as the predicate of a sentence