compound tense

noun

A tense or tense-like verb form that is constructed analytically, i.e. with an auxiliary verb added (like the perfect tense in English or French), not synthetically (through simple inflection of a base form). Contrasted with a simple tense (like the English simple past or French passé simple.

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Meanings

nouncompound tense (uncountable)
  1. uncountablegrammarA tense or tense-like verb form that is constructed analytically, i.e. with an auxiliary verb added (like the perfect tense in English or French), not synthetically (through simple inflection of a base form). Contrasted with a simple tense (like the English simple past or French passé simple.
Cite this entry
APA

compound tense. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compound%20tense

MLA

“compound tense.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compound%20tense. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “compound tense,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/compound%20tense.

Source: compound tense on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.