Definition of: participle

(pär′tə·sip′əl) noun Gram.
A verbal derivative that may function as both a verb and an adjective. The present participle ends in -ing and the past participle commonly in -d, -ed, -en, -n, or -t.
—dangling participle A participle that modifies the wrong substantive, as in “Opening the door, the room looked large” instead of “Opening the door, I saw that the room looked large.” [<OF, var. of participe <L participium a sharing, partaking <participare. See PARTICIPATE.]