exocentric Definition
(linguistics) (of a construction or word) not fulfilling the normal role of its grammatical class, as in the dinner in the big eat dinner.
Using exocentric: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "exocentric" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
In the phrase 'big eat dinner', 'eat' is an exocentric verb.
Example
Exocentric constructions are rare in English grammar.
Example
The word 'head' in 'chicken head' is an exocentric compound.
exocentric Synonyms and Antonyms
Antonyms for exocentric
Summary: exocentric in Brief
The term 'exocentric' [ˌɛksə(ʊ)ˈsɛntrɪk] refers to a linguistic construction or word that does not fulfill the normal role of its grammatical class. It is exemplified by phrases like 'big eat dinner', where 'eat' is an exocentric verb, and 'chicken head', where 'head' is an exocentric compound. Exocentric constructions are rare in English grammar.
