dative

[ dey-tiv ]

adjective

1. (in certain inflected languages, as Latin, Greek, and German) noting a case having as a distinctive function indication of the indirect object of a verb or the object of certain prepositions.

noun

1. the dative case.
2. a word or form in that case, as Latin regi in regi haec dicite meaning “tell this to the king.”

dative

/ ˈdeɪtɪv; deɪˈtaɪvəl /

adjective

1. denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives used to express the indirect object, to identify the recipients, and for other purposes

noun

1. 1. the dative case
   2. a word or speech element in this case

Derived Forms

• datival, adjective
• ˈdatively, adverb

Other Words From

• da·ti·val [dey-, tahy, -v, uh, l], adjective
• dative·ly adverb
• nonda·tival adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dative¹

1400–50; late Middle English datif < Latin datīvus ( casus ) dative (case), equivalent to dat ( us ) given ( date ¹ ) + -īvus -ive; translation of Greek dotikḗ ( ptôsis )

Word History and Origins

Origin of dative¹

C15: from Latin datīvus, from dare to give; translation of Greek dotikos

Example Sentences

“No, they are. Look at the next sentence. We need a dative.”

From Literature

“We were going to use a dative or an accusative here but he suggested locative?”

From Literature

My teacher was a stickler who was worried about the decline of the dative case, and who discouraged me from using expressions I picked up on the street.

From New York Times

Double-object dative: Jocasta handed her servant the infant.

From Literature

Prepositional dative: Jocasta handed the infant to her servant.

From Literature