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Webster 1913 Edition


Optative

Op′ta-tive

,
Adj.
[L.
optativus
: cf. F.
optatif
.]
Expressing desire or wish.
Fuller.
Optative mood
(Gram.)
,
that mood or form of a verb, as in Greek, Sanskrit, etc., in which a wish or desire is expressed.

Op′ta-tive

,
Noun.
[Cf. F.
optatif
.]
1.
Something to be desired.
[R.]
Bacon.
2.
(Gram.)
The optative mood; also, a verb in the optative mood.

Webster 1828 Edition


Optative

OP'TATIVE

,
Adj.
[L. optativus, from opto, to desire or wish.]
Expressing desire or wish. The optative mode, in grammar, is that form of the verb in which wish or desire is expressed.

OP'TATIVE

,
Noun.
Something to be desired. [Little used.]

Definition 2024


optative

optative

English

Alternative forms

  • (abbreviation, grammar): opt.

Adjective

optative (not comparable)

  1. Expressing a wish or a choice.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)
  2. (grammar) Related or pertaining to the optative mood.

Noun

optative (plural optatives)

  1. (grammar) A mood of verbs found in some languages (e.g. Old Prussian, Ancient Greek), used to express a wish. English has no inflexional optative mood, but it has modal verbs like "might" and "may" that express possibility.
  2. (grammar) A verb or expression in the optative mood.

Derived terms

See also

Translations


French

Adjective

optative

  1. feminine singular of optatif

Latin

Adjective

optātīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of optātīvus