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Glite Dictionary
agential

agential

9.1
Relating to a person or thing that causes change
  • adjective
  • /əˈdʒeɪnʧəl/
  • Specialized
translation icon : agencial
  • In Nayaka forest-related contexts, suckling babies play a far greater agential role than may appear to observers culturally disposed to see mothers feeding their young.
  • agential domain

Examples

  • They are an active, agential side in the transaction.

    Academic text (2008)

  • These doctrines codify the principle that only sufficiently agential actions are properly subject to moral and legal censure.

    Academic text (2017)

  • The scientist's agential decisions significantly influenced the outcome of the experiment.

  • In discussions about climate change, an agential approach emphasizes the impact of individual actions.

  • Her agential role in the project helped to drive the team toward success.

Synonyms

agentic
vsagential
  • Specialized
1 8.8

Relating to the person or thing that does the action in a sentence

focuses on agency as the source producing actions or effects
agentive
vsagential
  • Specialized
7.7

About a person or thing that does an action, especially in grammar

is broader, relating to agency as source of action or effect

Surface Forms

agential positive

Morphology

agential = agent (transparent) = agent + ial

Formed by adding the adjectival suffix '-ial' to 'agent'; the meaning 'relating to an agent or agency' follows standard adjective formation and is predictable.

Etymology

The word agential comes from agent, which comes from the Latin agere meaning 'to do'. So, like an agent or actor who does something, agential describes a person or thing that acts or causes change.