Pronunciation: [ɪnflˈɛkʃənə͡l] (IPA) 
The word "inflexional" is spelt with the letter "x" which may seem unusual. However, the spelling is based on the pronunciation of the word. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is pronounced as /ɪnˈflɛkʃ(ə)nəl/. The letter "x" represents the sound /kʃ/ which is a combination of the consonants /k/ and /ʃ/. This combination of sounds occurs frequently in the English language, as in the words "textbook" and "nextdoor".
Inflexional is an adjective that pertains to the characteristics or features of inflection. Inflection, in the context of grammar, refers to the alteration or variation in the form of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, mood, case, gender, number, or person. An inflexional language, for instance, is one in which words change their form to reflect these grammatical categories.
When referring to inflexional in a broader sense, it signifies the capacity of a material or structure to undergo flexing or bending without breaking or deforming. In mechanics or engineering, for example, inflexional materials may possess attributes like flexibility, resilience, or ductility that allow them to withstand various loads or forces.
In mathematics, inflexional is used to describe mathematical functions that possess points of inflection. These points mark a change in concavity and describe where the graph of a function changes its curvature.
Overall, inflexional encompasses the concepts of grammar, mechanics, and mathematics. Whether relating to the alteration of word forms, flexibility of materials, or concavity changes in functions, this adjective denotes the presence or the act of variation, bending, or modification.
The word inflexional comes from the root word inflection and the suffix -al.
The term inflection originated from Latin inflectere, which means to bend or to modify. In Latin, it was used specifically in the context of bending words or modifying their endings to indicate various grammatical forms.
Over time, the word inflection was adopted into English, and it refers to the modifications or changes made to words to express grammatical categories such as tense, number, gender, or case.
The suffix -al is a common suffix in English that is used to form adjectives from nouns or other adjectives. In the case of inflexional, it is added to inflection to create an adjective form, meaning related to or characterized by inflection.
