determinative

American  

[dih-tur-muh-ney-tiv, -nuh-tiv] / dɪˈtɜr məˌneɪ tɪv, -nə tɪv /

adjective

1. serving to determine; determining.

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noun

1. something that determines.

2. a graphic symbol used in ideographic writing to denote a semantic class and written next to a word to indicate in what semantic category that word is to be understood, thus at times distinguishing homographs.

determinative British  

/ dɪˈtɜːmɪnətɪv /

adjective

1. able to or serving to settle or determine; deciding

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noun

1. a factor, circumstance, etc, that settles or determines

2. grammar a less common word for determiner

3. (in a logographic writing system) a logogram that bears a separate meaning, from which compounds and inflected forms are built up

Other Word Forms

• determinatively adverb
• determinativeness noun
• nondeterminative adjective
• nondeterminatively adverb
• nondeterminativeness noun

Etymology

Origin of determinative

1645–55; probably < Medieval Latin dēterminātīvus fixed, Late Latin: crucial (of a disease), equivalent to Latin dētermināt ( us ) ( determinate ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

But voting rights and legal form aren’t determinative for these purposes.

From The Wall Street Journal

“The Board’s review may not capture everyone impacted by this, as it is not entirely clear how the Board is deciding that false positives were determinative of a parole decision,” Baker said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

“The thing that’s perhaps the most determinative when you come up to the parole board process is what kind of prisoner have you been?”

From Los Angeles Times

Historically, the Iowa caucuses have been interesting, if not determinative, kickoffs for nominating contests, cutting down front-runners and elevating little-known contenders.

From New York Times

According to Ms Bellows, a Supreme Court decision in the Colorado case could also be "determinative" in Maine.

From BBC