adversative

American  

[ad-vur-suh-tiv] / ædˈvɜr sə tɪv /

adjective

1. expressing contrariety, opposition, or antithesis.

   “But” is an adversative conjunction.

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noun

1. an adversative word or proposition.

adversative British  

/ ədˈvɜːsətɪv /

adjective

1. (of a word, phrase, or clause) implying opposition or contrast. But and although are adversative conjunctions introducing adversative clauses

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noun

1. an adversative word or speech element

Other Word Forms

• adversatively adverb

Etymology

Origin of adversative

1525–35; < Late Latin adversātīvus, equivalent to adversāt ( us ) (past participle of adversārī to resist; adverse, -ate ¹ ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

Companies that in the past had an adversative relationship with conservation groups have begun to take actions that are more than public relations.

From Time Magazine Archive

But the conjunction is often omitted in copulative and adversative clauses, as in Sec.

From An English Grammar by Sewell, James Witt

The adversative sentence faces, so to speak, half way about on but.

From Higher Lessons in English A work on English grammar and composition by Kellogg, Brainerd

Hence it only remains to ascribe the judgment to him as the causa principalis.—If the three angels were equals, it would be impossible to explain the adversative clause in chap. xviii.

From Christology of the Old Testament: And a Commentary on the Messianic Predictions, Vol. 1 by Hengstenberg, Ernst Wilhelm

But is termed the adversative coördinate conjunction because it usually introduces something adverse to what has already been said.

From Composition-Rhetoric by Brooks, Stratton D.

Related Words

• antagonistic