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partitive

[ pahr-ti-tiv ]

adjective

  1. serving to divide into parts.
  2. Grammar. noting part of a whole:

    the Latin partitive genitive.



noun

  1. Grammar. a partitive word or formation, as of the men in half of the men.

partitive

/ ˈpɑːtɪtɪv /

adjective

  1. grammar indicating that a noun involved in a construction refers only to a part or fraction of what it otherwise refers to. The phrase some of the butter is a partitive construction; in some inflected languages it would be translated by the genitive case of the noun
  2. serving to separate or divide into parts
“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


noun

  1. grammar a partitive linguistic element or feature
“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
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Derived Forms

  • ˈpartitively, adverb
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Other Words From

  • parti·tive·ly adverb
  • un·parti·tive adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of partitive1

1510–20; < Medieval Latin partītīvus divisive, equivalent to Latin partīt ( us ), past participle of partīrī to divide ( party ) + -īvus -ive
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Word History and Origins

Origin of partitive1

C16: from Medieval Latin partītīvus serving to divide, from Latin partīre to divide
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Example Sentences

In the classical languages the partitive power was expressed by the genitive.

(b.) Etahi may be considered as corresponding to the partitive article des of the French.

The partitive words that can combine with singular pronouns are comparatively few, viz.

Here a partitive sense is hinted: I shall know (some) music.

It is not a predicate adjective, but a partitive genitive after hwt.

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