preteritive

[ pri-ter-i-tiv ]

/ prɪˈtɛr ɪ tɪv /

adjective Grammar.

(of verbs) limited to past tenses.

Nearby words

preterhuman, preterist, preterit, preterite, preterition, preteritive, preterlegal, preterm, preterm infant, pretermit, preternatural

Origin of preteritive

First recorded in 1830–40; preterit + -ive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for preteritive

preteritive

/ (prɪˈtɛrɪtɪv) /

adjective

(of a verb) having only past tense forms

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