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possessive

[ puh-zes-iv ]

/ pəˈzɛs ɪv /

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See synonyms for: possessive / possessiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective

jealously opposed to the personal independence of, or to any influence other than one's own upon, a child, spouse, etc.

desirous of possessing, especially excessively so: Young children are so possessive they will not allow others to play with their toys; a possessive lover.

of or relating to possession or ownership.

Grammar.

indicating possession, ownership, origin, etc. His in his book is a possessive adjective. His in The book is his is a possessive pronoun.
noting or pertaining to a case that indicates possession, ownership, origin, etc., as, in English, John's in John's hat.

noun Grammar.

the possessive case.

a form in the possessive.

VIDEO FOR POSSESSIVE

What Are The Rules For Adding An Apostrophe Plus An S To Words?

The rules for showing possession—that is, owning, having, or belonging to something—in English grammar can be extremely frustrating. Here are three general rules.

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QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of possessive

From the Latin word possessīvus, dating back to 1520–30. See possess, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM possessive

pos·ses·sive·ly, adverbpos·ses·sive·ness, nounnon·pos·ses·sive, adjectivenon·pos·ses·sive·ly, adverb

non·pos·ses·sive·ness, nounun·pos·ses·sive, adjectiveun·pos·ses·sive·ly, adverbun·pos·ses·sive·ness, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH possessive

possessive , possessory

Words nearby possessive

possessed, possessed by, possession, possession is nine points of the law, possession order, possessive, possessive adjective, possessive pronoun, possessory, posset, possibilism

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use possessive in a sentence

They include angry outbursts and possessive or controlling behavior.
Prevention programs can help reduce teen dating violence|Kathiann Kowalski|May 5, 2022|Science News For Students
She’s rewarded with a boyfriend who yells at her for prioritizing her career, becomes possessive when he learns of Rachel’s friendship with a male coworker, and then cheats on her.
How I Met Your Father and the Insufferable History of the Lovelorn Sitcom Dude|Eliana Dockterman|January 20, 2022|Time
That possessive dude who kept whispering things in Nakia’s ear in the first episode was also a self-proclaimed nice guy, and he had very creepy vibes.
Two Feminists Who Love Reality TV Wrap Their Minds Around the FBoy Island Finale|Eliana Dockterman|August 13, 2021|Time
For a long time, the league expended too much energy on fitting in, hoping to make an appeal to some staunch and possessive male gatekeepers, thinking they were the tastemakers.
The WNBA once worried about survival. Now it has a bolder vision.|Jerry Brewer|May 14, 2021|Washington Post

Building on other research projects suggesting, for example, that people at high risk of psychosis tend use fewer possessive pronouns like “my,” “his,” or “ours,” Rezaii and her colleagues wanted to see if a computer could spot low semantic density.
Machines can spot mental health issues—if you hand over your personal data|Bobbie Johnson|August 13, 2020|MIT Technology Review
Many people do not realize how intensely possessive and demanding a married cheater can be.
Hands Off My Call Girl!|Tracy Quan|February 25, 2010|DAILY BEAST
A jilted and possessive ex-lover who was jealous because Le was about to be married to another man?
Yale Killer Caught on Tape?|Wendy Murphy|September 14, 2009|DAILY BEAST
But when we moved in together, he became less sympathetic, more openly possessive, and I grew nervous.
What Hookers Do on Valentine's Day|Tracy Quan|February 13, 2009|DAILY BEAST
In earnest appeals we find the nmen also used, with sometimes the praenmen or the possessive m prefixed.
The Private Life of the Romans|Harold Whetstone Johnston
The use of the plural possessive thrilled the heart of the workers; the club was a family possession.
The Leaven in a Great City|Lillian William Betts
His eyes were an index of the man, bold and possessive and unwavering.
The Highgrader|William MacLeod Raine
The possessive pronoun is used by French soldiers in addressing superior officers.
Contes Franais|Douglas Labaree Buffum
But the possessive pronoun rose readily to his lips when talk turned upon the land.
The Surprises of Life|Georges Clemenceau

British Dictionary definitions for possessive

possessive

/ (pəˈzɛsɪv) /

adjective

of or relating to possession or ownership

having or showing an excessive desire to possess, control, or dominatea possessive mother

grammar

another word for genitive (def. 1)
denoting an inflected form of a noun or pronoun used to convey the idea of possession, association, etc, as my or Harry's

noun

grammar

the possessive case
a word or speech element in the possessive case

Derived forms of possessive

possessively, adverbpossessiveness, noun

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

Cultural definitions for possessive

possessive

The case of a noun or pronoun that shows possession. Nouns are usually made possessive by adding an apostrophe and s: “The bicycle is Sue's, not Mark's.” Possessive pronouns can take the place of possessive nouns: “The bicycle is hers, not his.” (See nominative case and objective case.)

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.