vocative

[ vok-uh-tiv ]

adjective

1. Grammar. (in certain inflected languages, as Latin) noting or pertaining to a case used to indicate that a noun refers to a person or thing being addressed.
2. of, relating to, or used in calling, specifying, or addressing.

noun

, Grammar.

1. the vocative case.
2. a word in the vocative, as Latin Paule “O Paul.”

vocative

/ ˈvɒkətɪv /

adjective

1. relating to, used in, or characterized by calling
2. grammar denoting a case of nouns, in some inflected languages, used when the referent of the noun is being addressed

noun

1. grammar
   1. the vocative case
   2. a vocative noun or speech element

Derived Forms

• ˈvocatively, adverb

Other Words From

• voca·tive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of vocative¹

1400–50; late Middle English < Latin vocātīvus ( cāsus ) calling (case), equivalent to vocāt ( us ) ( vocation ) + -īvus -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of vocative¹

C15: from Latin phrase vocātīvus cāsus the calling case, from vocāre to call

Example Sentences

I get pedantic about the placement of the vocative comma in “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”

From The New Yorker

And I like Mitch most when he returns fire, peppering Matt, who is young and pretty, with a barrage of snarky vocatives.

From The New Yorker

His first vocative expressed all, but he was a politician and used to elaborating his mental processes for the benefit of befuddled intellects.

From Project Gutenberg

Lord Vanity, not feeling himself included in the last vocative, took a pinch of Rappee and gazed very fiercely at my Lady Bunbutter through the rheum and water of his ancient eyes.

From Project Gutenberg

Now, Ma!" broke in Sophia, accompanying this vocative with a tart gesture of remonstrance, "Claire doesn't know a bit better than you or I do whether he was high-toned or not.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• artful
• articulate
• eloquent
• facile
• loquacious
• talkative