genitive
/'dʤenitiv/
Definition
Adjective:
- Relating to or denoting a grammatical case that indicates possession or a close relationship between nouns. This form of a word, typically a noun or pronoun, shows that something belongs to or is associated with something else.
Noun:
- The grammatical case used to indicate possession or a close relationship. This is the name of the case itself.
- A word in the genitive case. This refers to the specific form a word takes when it is in the genitive case.
Examples of Usage
Adjective:
- In the phrase "the dog's tail," the word dog's is in the genitive form.
- The genitive ending in Old English was often "-es."
Noun:
- The word "children's" in "children's books" is in the genitive.
- In some languages, like German, the genitive is used more frequently than in modern English.
Advanced Usage
- Subjective Genitive: When the possessor in the genitive case is the logical subject of the action implied by the possessed noun.
- The king's arrival (The king arrives).
- Objective Genitive: When the possessor in the genitive case is the logical object of the action implied by the possessed noun.
- The city's destruction (Something destroyed the city).
- Genitive of Origin: Indicates the source or origin of something.
- Shakespeare's plays (plays written by Shakespeare).
Variants and Related Words
- Genitive Case: The full term for the grammatical case.
- Possessive Case: A common synonym for the genitive case in English grammar.
- Saxon Genitive: A term specifically for the English possessive construction using an apostrophe and 's' (e.g., ).
Synonyms
- Possessive (Adjective & Noun): The most common direct synonym in English grammar.
Notes on Different Meanings
The core meaning of "genitive" is consistently grammatical, relating to possession. Its application can be broad, covering not just literal ownership but also relationships of origin, measurement, description, and association (e.g., a week's time, a ship's captain, the book's cover).
Adjective
-
serving to express or indicate possession
-
possessive pronouns
-
the genitive endings
-
Noun
-
the case expressing ownership
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