adversative

American  

[ad-vur-suh-tiv] / ædˈvɜr sə tɪv /

adjective

1. expressing contrariety, opposition, or antithesis.

   “But” is an adversative conjunction.

---

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

---

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; see 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 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.

The difficulty of preserving the effect of the Greek is increased by the want of adversative and inferential particles in English, and by the nice sense of tautology which characterizes all modern languages.

From Charmides by Jowett, Benjamin

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

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

From An English Grammar by Sewell, James Witt

Related Words

• antagonistic