infinitive

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=fin=i=tive

CIDE DICTIONARY

infinitive, n. [L. infinitivus: cf. F. infinitif. See Infinite.].

 Unlimited; not bounded or restricted; undefined.  [1913 Webster]
"With the auxiliary verbs may, can, must, might, could, would, and should, the simple infinitive is expressed without to; as, you may speak; they must hear, etc. The infinitive usually omits to with the verbs let, dare, do, bid, make, see, hear, need, etc.; as, let me go; you dare not tell; make him work; hear him talk, etc."  [1913 Webster]
" In Anglo-Saxon, the simple infinitive was not preceded by to (the sign of modern simple infinitive), but it had a dative form (sometimes called the gerundial infinitive) which was preceded by to, and was chiefly employed in expressing purpose. See Gerund, 2."  [1913 Webster]
"The gerundial ending (-anne) not only took the same form as the simple infinitive (-an), but it was confounded with the present participle in -ende, or -inde (later -inge)."  [1913 Webster]

Infinitive mood (Gram.), that form of the verb which merely names the action, and performs the office of a verbal noun. Some grammarians make two forms in English: (a) The simple form, as, speak, go, hear, before which to is commonly placed, as, to speak; to go; to hear. (b) The form of the imperfect participle, called the infinitive in -ing; as, going is as easy as standing.

infinitive, n. 

 An infinitive form of the verb; a verb in the infinitive mood; the infinitive mood.  [1913 Webster]

infinitive, adv. 

 In the manner of an infinitive mood.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

infinitive, n. & adj.
--n. a form of a verb expressing the verbal notion without reference to a particular subject, tense, etc. (e.g. see in we came to see, let him see).
--adj. having this form.

Derivative

infinitival adj. infinitivally adv.

Etymology

L infinitivus (as IN-(1), finitivus definite f. finire finit- define)