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disjunctive

[ dis-juhngk-tiv ]
/ dɪsˈdʒʌŋk tɪv /
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adjective

serving or tending to disjoin; separating; dividing; distinguishing.
Grammar.
  1. syntactically setting two or more expressions in opposition to each other, as but in poor but happy, or expressing an alternative, as or in this or that.
  2. not syntactically dependent upon some particular expression.
Logic.
  1. characterizing propositions that are disjunctions.
  2. (of a syllogism) containing at least one disjunctive proposition as a premise.

noun

a statement, course of action, etc., involving alternatives.
Logic. disjunction (def. 2a).
Grammar. a disjunctive word.

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Origin of disjunctive

1400–50; late Middle English <Late Latin disjunctīvus placed in opposition, equivalent to Latin disjunct(us) (see disjunct) + -īvus-ive

OTHER WORDS FROM disjunctive

dis·junc·tive·ly, adverbnon·dis·junc·tive, adjectivenon·dis·junc·tive·ly, adverb

Words nearby disjunctive

disjoined, disjoint, disjointed, disjunct, disjunction, disjunctive, disjuncture, disjune, disk, disk brake, disk crank
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Example sentences from the Web for disjunctive

British Dictionary definitions for disjunctive

disjunctive
/ (dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv) /

adjective

serving to disconnect or separate
grammar
  1. denoting a word, esp a conjunction, that serves to express opposition or contrast: but in the sentence She was poor but she was honest
  2. denoting an inflection of pronouns in some languages that is used alone or after a preposition, such as moi in French
Also: alternative logic relating to, characterized by, or containing disjunction

noun

grammar
  1. a disjunctive word, esp a conjunction
  2. a disjunctive pronoun
logic a disjunctive proposition; disjunction

Derived forms of disjunctive

disjunctively, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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