Etymology

From , from , from + , perfect passive participle of + , adjective ending; hence, a word "thrown next to" a noun, modifying it.

Adjective

1. Incapable of independent function.
   • 1899, John Jay Chapman, Emerson and Other Essays, AMS Press (1969) (as reproduced in Project Gutenberg)

     In fact, God is of not so much importance in Himself, but as the end towards which man tends. That irreverent person who said that Browning uses “God” as a pigment made an accurate criticism of his theology. In Browning, God is adjective to man.

2. Adjectival; pertaining to or functioning as an adjective.
3. Applying to methods of enforcement and rules of procedure.

   adjective law

4. Of a dye that needs the use of a mordant to be made fast to that which is being dyed.

Noun

1. A word that modifies a noun or describes a noun’s referent.

   The words “big” and “heavy” are English adjectives.

Usage notes

Adjectives compose a fundamental category of words in most languages. In most lanuages, most adjectives can be used both attributively and predicatively, can be graded, and can be modified by an adverb.