Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
Verbal \Ver"bal\, n. (Gram.)
A noun derived from a verb.
Verbal \Ver"bal\, a. [F., fr. L. verbalis. See {Verb}.]
1. Expressed in words, whether spoken or written, but
commonly in spoken words; hence, spoken; oral; not
written; as, a verbal contract; verbal testimony.
Made she no verbal question? --Shak.
We subjoin an engraving . . . which will give the
reader a far better notion of the structure than any
verbal description could convey to the mind.
--Mayhew.
2. Consisting in, or having to do with, words only; dealing
with words rather than with the ideas intended to be
conveyed; as, a verbal critic; a verbal change.
And loses, though but verbal, his reward. --Milton.
Mere verbal refinements, instead of substantial
knowledge. --Whewell.
3. Having word answering to word; word for word; literal; as,
a verbal translation.
4. Abounding with words; verbose. [Obs.] --Shak.
5. (Gram.) Of or pertaining to a verb; as, a verbal group;
derived directly from a verb; as, a verbal noun; used in
forming verbs; as, a verbal prefix.
{Verbal inspiration}. See under {Inspiration}.
{Verbal noun} (Gram.), a noun derived directly from a verb or
verb stem; a verbal. The term is specifically applied to
infinitives, and nouns ending in -ing, esp. to the latter.
See {Gerund}, and {-ing}, 2. See also, {Infinitive mood},
under {Infinitive}.
Source : WordNet®
verbal
adj 1: communicated in the form of words; "verbal imagery"; "a
verbal protest"
2: of or relating to or formed from words in general; "verbal
ability"
3: of or relating to or formed from a verb; "verbal adjectives
like `running' in `hot and cold running water'"
4: relating to or having facility in the use of words; "a good
poet is a verbal artist"; "a merely verbal writer who
sacrifices content to sound"; "verbal aptitude" [ant: {numerical}]
5: expressed in spoken words; "a verbal contract"
6: prolix; "you put me to forget a lady's manners by being so
verbal"- Shakespeare