Category:Privative

Priv"a*tive a. Etym: [l. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See private.]

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.)

Defn: implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a Word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; -- applied to such Prefixes and suffixes as a- (gr. un-, non-, -less.

Privative Priv"a*tive, n.

1. That of which the essence is the absence of something. Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. Bacon.

2. (logic)

Defn: a term indicating the absence of any quality which might be Naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term.

3. (gram.)

Defn: a privative prefix or suffix. See privative, a., 3.