An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

A word or group of words representing the person or thing with reference to which the action of a verb is performed. In English generally coming between the verb and the direct object and paraphrasable as the object of a preposition, usually to or for, following the direct object, as the boy in He gave the boy a book (Dictionary.com).

→ indirect; → object.