dative

[ dey-tiv ]

adjective
  1. (in certain inflected languages, as Latin, Greek, and German) noting a case having as a distinctive function indication of the indirect object of a verb or the object of certain prepositions.

noun
  1. the dative case.

  2. a word or form in that case, as Latin regi in regi haec dicite meaning “tell this to the king.”

Origin of dative

1
1400–50; late Middle English datif<Latin datīvus (casus) dative (case), equivalent to dat(us) given (see date1) + -īvus-ive; translation of Greek dotikḗ (ptôsis)

Other words from dative

  • da·ti·val [dey-tahy-vuhl], /deɪˈtaɪ vəl/, adjective
  • da·tive·ly, adverb
  • non·da·ti·val, adjective

Words Nearby dative

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How to use dative in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for dative

dative

/ (ˈdeɪtɪv) grammar /


adjective
  1. denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives used to express the indirect object, to identify the recipients, and for other purposes

noun
    • the dative case

    • a word or speech element in this case

Origin of dative

1
C15: from Latin datīvus, from dare to give; translation of Greek dotikos

Derived forms of dative

  • datival (deɪˈtaɪvəl), adjective
  • datively, adverb

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