An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics

A member of a major category of words that refers to an action or a state. Verbs present a complex system of forms in Indo-European languages. The set of → inflectional forms of a verb is called a → conjugation. Verbs are usually distinguished for person and number along with tense and mood (if applicable).

Etymology (EN): M.E., from O.Fr. verbe from L. verbum “verb,” originally “a word,” from PIE root *wer- “to speak;” cf. Av. urvāta- “command;” Skt. vrata-
“command, vow;” Gk. rhetor “public speaker,”
eirein “to speak, say;” Lith. vardas “name;” Goth. waurd, O.E. “word.”

Etymology (PE): Karvâz, literally “action word,” from kar- present stem of kardan “to do, make” (Mid.Pers. kardan;
O.Pers./Av. kar- “to do, make, build,” Av. kərənaoiti “he makes;” cf. Skt. kr- “to do, to make,” krnoti “he makes, he does,” karoti “he makes, he does,” karma “act, deed;” PIE base k^wer- “to do, to make”) + vâz “word,” variants vâ&#382, âvâz, vâj, vât, vâ, → voice.