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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.
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.
Definition 2024
optative
optative
English
Alternative forms
- (abbreviation, grammar): opt.
Adjective
optative (not comparable)
- Expressing a wish or a choice.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Fuller to this entry?)
- (grammar) Related or pertaining to the optative mood.
Noun
optative (plural optatives)
- (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.
- (grammar) A verb or expression in the optative mood.
Derived terms
See also
Translations
optative