determinative

[dih-tur-muh-ney-tiv, -nuh-tiv]

adjective

1. serving to determine; determining.

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

/ dɪˈtɜːmɪnətɪv /

adjective

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

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of determinative¹

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

Example Sentences

With Texas Republicans drawing maps to extend their reach, the primary has become the determinative race, encouraging candidates to play to the further reaches of the party.

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“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.

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“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?”

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“If we have a very tight election in a determinative state, like in 2000, then all bets are off and there will be litigation all over the place,” Smith said.

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Even more determinative, from a pure numbers perspective, was the North Carolina primary this month.

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