disjunctive

[ dis-juhngk-tiv ]

adjective

1. serving or tending to disjoin; separating; dividing; distinguishing.
2. Grammar.
   1. syntactically setting two or more expressions in opposition to each other, as but in poor but happy, or expressing an alternative, as or in this or that.
   2. not syntactically dependent upon some particular expression.
3. Logic.
   1. characterizing propositions that are disjunctions.
   2. (of a syllogism) containing at least one disjunctive proposition as a premise.

noun

1. a statement, course of action, etc., involving alternatives.
2. Logic. disjunction ( def 2a ).
3. Grammar. a disjunctive word.

disjunctive

/ dɪsˈdʒʌŋktɪv /

adjective

1. serving to disconnect or separate
2. grammar
   1. denoting a word, esp a conjunction, that serves to express opposition or contrast: but in the sentence She was poor but she was honest
   2. denoting an inflection of pronouns in some languages that is used alone or after a preposition, such as moi in French
3. Alsoalternative logic relating to, characterized by, or containing disjunction

noun

1. grammar
   1. a disjunctive word, esp a conjunction
   2. a disjunctive pronoun
2. logic a disjunctive proposition; disjunction

Derived Forms

• disˈjunctively, adverb

Other Words From

• dis·junctive·ly adverb
• nondis·junctive adjective
• nondis·junctive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of disjunctive¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Late Latin disjunctīvus placed in opposition, equivalent to Latin disjunct ( us ) ( disjunct ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

Iéu (je), tu (tu), and éu (il) are used as disjunctive forms, in contrast with the French.

From Project Gutenberg

Or should we say that the note omitted was not Nt, but the present Parames and the interval of a tone (i.e. the disjunctive tone)?

From Project Gutenberg

The disjunctive forms of the pronoun are also sometimes preserved before verbs and adjectives.

From Project Gutenberg

Again, "the former does not belong to pure categoricals," it is simply disjunctive.

From Project Gutenberg

The chestnut, belonging to the order Cupuliferæ, has an extended but disjunctive natural area.

From Project Gutenberg