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copula

noun [C]
 
 
/ˈkɒp.jʊ.lə/ US  /ˈkɑː.pjə-/ specialized

Definition

a type of verb, of which the most common is 'be', that joins the subject of the verb with a complement: In the sentence 'You smell nice', 'smell' is a copula.Verb forms, tenses and types of verbs
(Definition of copula noun from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)
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