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dative
[ dey-tiv ]
/ ˈdeɪ tɪv /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective
(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
the dative case.
a word or form in that case, as Latin regi in regi haec dicite meaning “tell this to the king.”
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Origin of dative
OTHER WORDS FROM dative
da·ti·val [dey-tahy-vuhl], /deɪˈtaɪ vəl/, adjectiveda·tive·ly, adverbnon·da·ti·val, adjectiveWords nearby dative
date stamp, dating, dating agency, dating bar, dating nail, dative, dative bond, dato, datolite, Datong, datu
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use dative in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for dative
dative
/ (ˈdeɪtɪv) grammar /
adjective
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
Derived forms of dative
datival (deɪˈtaɪvəl), adjectivedatively, adverbWord Origin for dative
C15: from Latin datīvus, from dare to give; translation of Greek dotikos
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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