Auxiliary verb - Definitions from Dictionary.com

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Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

auxiliary verb

–noun

a word used in construction with and preceding certain forms of other verbs, as infinitives or participles, to express distinctions of tense, aspect, mood, etc., as did in Did you go?, am in I am listening, have in We have spoken, or can in They can see.

Also called helping verb.

[Origin: 1755–65

]

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Auxiliary verb

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

auxiliary verb
n. Abbr. aux. or aux. v.
A verb, such as have, can, or will, that accompanies the main verb in a clause and helps to make distinctions in mood, voice, aspect, and tense.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

auxiliary verb
noun
a verb that combines with another verb in a verb phrase to help form tense, mood, voice, or condition of the verb it combines with

American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
auxiliary verb

A “helping” verb that modifies the main verb, as in “Gail can win,” “Gail did win,” “Gail could have won.” A question often begins with an auxiliary verb: “Did Gail win?” “Could Gail lose?” The various forms of the verbs can, have, is, and does frequently act as auxiliaries.