genitive
- (in certain inflected languages) noting a case of nouns, pronouns, or adjectives, used primarily to express possession, measure, or origin: as John's hat, week's vacation, duty's call.
- noting an affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.
- similar to such a case form in function or meaning.
- the genitive case.
- a word in the genitive case.
- a construction noting this case or the relationship usually expressed by it.
Origin of genitive
Related Words for genitive
reproductive, intimate, erotic, carnal, passionate, sensual, animal, bestial, fleshly, loving, sharing, voluptuous, wanton, animalistic, generative, genital, genitive, procreative, venerealExamples from the Web for genitive
Historical Examples of genitive
With the genitive to be supplied: brec þonne mste, 1488; imp.
BeowulfUnknown
We have a genitive also in Flowerdew, found in French as Flourdieu.
The Romance of NamesErnest Weekley
The genitive of material is rather the use of a noun as an adjective.
A Handbook of the Cornish LanguageHenry Jenner
In this case writers have been puzzled how to form the genitive.
Elements of Gaelic GrammarAlexander Stewart
The ejection of -na in the genitive plural; as of tunges for tungena.
A Handbook of the English LanguageRobert Gordon Latham
genitive
- denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in inflected languages used to indicate a relation of ownership or association, usually translated by English of
- the genitive case
- a word or speech element in this case
Word Origin for genitive
Word Origin and History for genitive
late 14c., from Old French genitif or directly from Latin (casus) genitivus "case expressing possession, source, origin," from genitus (past participle of gignere; see genital); misused by Latin grammarians to render Greek genike (ptosis) "generic (case)," expressing race or kind (see genus). The noun meaning "the genitive case in grammar" is from 1610s.