Definition & Meaning of "participle"

What is a "participle"?

A participle is a verb form that can function as an adjective, noun, or part of a verb tense. In English, there are two main types of participles: the present participle and the past participle. The present participle ends in "-ing," such as "running" in the phrase "the running water," while the past participle often ends in "-ed" or has an irregular form, like "eaten" in "the eaten cake." Participles are important for creating various verb tenses, forming adjectives, and adding detail to sentences, enhancing the description of actions or states.