morphosyntactic (adj.)

A term used in LINGUISTICS to refer to GRAMMATICAL categories or properties for whose definition criteria of MORPHOLOGY and SYNTAX both apply, as in describing the characteristics of WORDS. The distinctions under the heading of NUMBER in NOUNS, for example, constitute a morphosyntactic category: on the one hand, number CONTRASTS affect syntax (e.g. singular subject requiring a singular verb); on the other hand, they require morphological definition (e.g. add -s for plural). Traditional properties such as singular, PERFECT, INDICATIVE, PASSIVE, ACCUSATIVE, third PERSON are examples of morphosyntax.