privative

[ priv-uh-tiv ]
/ ˈprɪv ə tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR privative ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

causing, or tending to cause, deprivation.
consisting in or characterized by the taking away, loss, or lack of something.
Grammar. indicating negation or absence.

noun

Grammar. a privative element, as a- in asymmetric.
something that is deprived.

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to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute.
to cause to be empty or unoccupied.
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Origin of privative

1350–1400; Middle English privatif<Latin prīvātīvus.See private, -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM privative

priv·a·tive·ly, adverb

Words nearby privative

private trust, private view, private viewdata, privation, privatism, privative, privatization issue, privatize, privet, privet hawk, privilege
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to privative

unfavorable, adverse, pessimistic, gloomy, weak, resisting, jaundiced, opposing, removed, contrary, con, recusant, refusing, anti, dissenting, invalidating, denying, disallowing, neutralizing, rejecting

Example sentences from the Web for privative

British Dictionary definitions for privative

privative
/ (ˈprɪvətɪv) /

adjective

causing privation
expressing lack or negation, as for example the English suffix -less and prefix un-
logic obsolete (of a proposition) that predicates a logical privation

Derived forms of privative

privatively, adverb

Word Origin for privative

C16: from Latin prīvātīvus indicating loss, negative
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