helping verb

noun

plural helping verbs

: an auxiliary verb

In "they have arrived," the word "have" is a helping verb.

A third kind of verb is the helping verb, a word that is added to the main verb to form a verb phrase.

Vivian C. Cadbury

First Known Use

1673, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of helping verb was in 1673

See more words from the same year

Style

“Helping verb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/helping%20verb. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

Copy Citation

helping verb

noun

: a verb (as have, be, may, do, shall, will, can, must) that is used with another verb and expresses such things as person, number, mood, or tense

called also auxiliary verb

Get Word of the Day daily email!

You know what it looks like… but what is it called?

TAKE THE QUIZ

A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.

TAKE THE QUIZ