Meanings
plural preterite-present verbs
- grammarA type of verb specific to Germanic languages in which the forms of the present tense resemble the forms normally found in the preterite (or past) tense of strong verbs. In modern English these are principally can, may, shall, will; one can also include the other verbs that do not (or not always) take -s in the third-person singular: dare, must, need, ought. The only non-modal preterite-present verb is an archaic verb wit.
Synonyms: preterite-present
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA type of verb specific to Germanic languages in which the forms of the present tense resemble the forms normally found in the preterite (or past) tense of strong verbs. In modern English these are principally can, may, shall, will; one can also include the other verbs that do not (or not always) take -s in the third-person singular: dare, must, need, ought. The only non-modal preterite-present verb is an archaic verb wit.
Translations
Dutch preterito-presens, preterito-praesens
- preterito-presensa type of verb
- preterito-praesensa type of verb
German Präteritopräsentium, Präteritopräsens
- Präteritopräsentiuma type of verb
- Präteritopräsensa type of verb
Icelandic núþáleg sögn
- núþáleg sögna type of verb
Italian verbo perfetto-presente
- verbo perfetto-presentea type of verb
Cite this entry
preterite-present verb. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preterite-present%20verb
“preterite-present verb.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preterite-present%20verb. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “preterite-present verb,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/preterite-present%20verb.
Source: preterite-present verb on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.