genitive

American  

[jen-i-tiv] / ˈdʒɛn ɪ tɪv /

adjective

1. (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.

2. noting an affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.

3. similar to such a case form in function or meaning.

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noun

1. the genitive case.

2. a word in the genitive case.

3. a construction noting this case or the relationship usually expressed by it.

genitive British  

/ ˈdʒɛnɪtɪv, ˌdʒɛnɪˈtaɪvəl /

adjective

1. 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

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noun

1. 1. the genitive case

   2. a word or speech element in this case

Other Word Forms

• genitival adjective
• genitivally adverb
• ungenitive adjective

Etymology

Origin of genitive

1350–1400; Middle English < Medieval Latin genitīvus, equivalent to genit ( us ) (past participle of gignere to beget) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

The clumsy examples above show that long and complicated subjects are best left unmarked, whereas simpler ones like pronouns work well in the genitive, as in I appreciate your coming over to help.

From Literature

Similarly, names unable to accommodate the endings required by the nominative, accusative, genitive and dative cases used in Icelandic are also routinely turned down.

From The Guardian

During the Force Majeure show, Izzard gets to grips with German sentence structure and declensions, earning knowing applause from the Berlin crowd for his perfect use of the fiendishly tricky genitive case at one stage.

From Reuters

The genitive you are mine / is a phrase I cherished only when I'd moved on / and couldn't use it.

From The Guardian

Who cares, so far as the matter of it is concerned, whether we say hominum or hominorum in the genitive plural, interesting as the fact may be for the philologist?

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• carnal
• erotic
• intimate
• passionate
• reproductive
• sensual