ablative absolute

American  

noun

Latin Grammar.

1. a construction not dependent upon any other part of the sentence, consisting of a noun and a participle, noun and adjective, or two nouns, in which both members are in the ablative case, as Latin viā factā, “the road having been made.”

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ablative absolute British  

noun

1. an absolute construction in Latin grammar in which a governor noun and a modifier in the ablative case function as a sentence modifier; for example, hostibus victis, "the enemy having been beaten"

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Etymology

Origin of ablative absolute

First recorded in 1520–30

Example Sentences

“I liked the ablative absolute, the way it could wrap up entire epochs in two words, then move on,” she writes.

From The New Yorker

Finding an ablative absolute, they are confident of finding some sort of proposition: and there it is, to their hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Zamenhof states that the "ablative absolute" does not exist in Esperanto, as its use would be against the spirit of the language.

From Project Gutenberg

An absolute construction, imitating the Latin ablative absolute.

From Project Gutenberg

You will recognise this as an ablative absolute phrase.

From Project Gutenberg