partitive
/'pɑ:titiv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Adjective:
- Serving to separate or divide into parts: Describes something that has the function or tendency of partitioning a whole into distinct sections.
- (Grammar, especially in Romance languages) Denoting a part of a whole: Relating to a grammatical construction that indicates a portion or some quantity less than the entirety of something.
Noun:
- (Grammar) A word that indicates a part as distinct from a whole: A determiner, pronoun, or other word (e.g., 'some', 'any', 'much', 'less') used to specify an indefinite quantity or portion of something.
Usage Examples
- Adjective:
- The teacher used a partitive approach, breaking the complex topic into smaller units for the students.
- In French, "du" (as in "du pain") is a partitive article meaning 'some bread'.
- Noun:
- Words like "some" and "a little" function as partitives in English.
- In the phrase "a piece of cake", the word "piece" acts as a partitive.
Advanced Usage
- Partitive Genitive: A grammatical case or construction, found in some languages, that expresses a part of a whole (e.g., in Russian or Finnish).
- Partitive Article: A specific type of article used in languages like French and Italian to express an unspecified quantity (e.g., French , , ).
Variants and Related Words
- Partitively (adverb): In a partitive manner.
- The noun was used partitively to indicate a portion.
- Partitivity (noun): The quality or state of being partitive.
Synonyms
- Divisive: Tending to cause division (for the adjectival sense of separating).
- Fractional: Relating to or constituting a fraction.
- Quantifier: A word or phrase indicating quantity (a broader, related grammatical term for the noun form).
Related Phrases / Constructions
- Partitive Construction: A grammatical structure used to express a part of a whole, often involving a partitive noun or article followed by "of" (e.g., , ).
Adjective
- serving to separate or divide into parts
- partitive tendencies in education
- the uniting influence was stronger than the separative
- indicating or characterized by or serving to create partition or division into parts
- partitive tendencies in education
- (Romance languages) relating to or denoting a part of a whole or a quantity that is less than the whole
- a partitive construction
Noun
- word (such a `some' or `less') that is used to indicate a part as distinct from a whole