Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Privative
1.
Causing privation; depriving.
2.
Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative.
Privative
blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor.
3.
(Gram.)
Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word;
as, alpha
; – applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. [GREEK]), un-, non-, -less. privative
; privative
particlesPriv′a-tive
,Noun.
1.
That of which the essence is the absence of something.
Blackness and darkness are indeed but
privatives
. Bacon.
2.
(Logic)
A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; – called also
privative term
. Webster 1828 Edition
Privative
PRIV'ATIVE
,Adj.
1.
Consisting in the absence of something; not positive. Privative is in things, what negative is in propositions; as privative blessings, safeguard, liberty and integrity.PRIV'ATIVE
,Noun.
1.
In grammar, a prefix to a word which changes its signification and gives it a contrary sense, as a, in Greek; unjust; un and in in English, as unwise, inhuman. The word may also be applied to suffixes, as less, in harmless.Definition 2024
privative
privative
English
Adjective
privative (comparative more privative, superlative most privative)
- Causing privation; depriving.
- Consisting in the absence of something; negative.
- Jeremy Taylor
- Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity.
- Jeremy Taylor
- (grammar) Indicating the absence of something.
Noun
privative (plural privatives)
- Something that causes privation or indicates an absence.