Why is "is" a verb?

[Maria_J]

Verb is a word that defines action.. something that is in the doing state.. then how can we say that "is" is a verb?

[Coffa]

Verb is a word that defines action.. something that is in the doing state.. then how can we say that "is" is a verb?

No. A verb expresses existence, action or occurrence; not just action.

See http://www.answers.com/topic/verb

[Fazzu]

So, 'is' isn't a verb.What is it then?

[Vlad_the_Inhaler]

Verb is a word that defines action.. something that is in the doing state.. then how can we say that "is" is a verb?

Yes, they tell us in school that a verb is a 'doing' word, but there are many verbs we can 'do' without 'doing' anything: being, appearing, seeming, looking (like)... The word verb is from Latin verbum, meaning 'word', but etymologists say the word entered English from an old French word verbe , around the 14th century, by which time the meaning had changed to 'part of speech expressing action or being'