Optative

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Optative \Op"ta*tive\, a. [L. optativus: cf. F. optatif.]
     Expressing desire or wish. --Fuller.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     {Optative mood} (Gram.), that mood or form of a verb, as in
        Greek, Sanskrit, etc., in which a wish or desire is


        expressed.
        [1913 Webster]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Optative \Op"ta*tive\, n. [Cf. F. optatif.]
     1. Something to be desired. [R.] --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Gram.) The optative mood; also, a verb in the optative
        mood.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  optative
       adj 1: indicating an option or wish
       2: relating to a mood of verbs in some languages; "optative
          verb endings"
       n : a mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or
           hope; expressed in English by modal verbs [syn: {optative
           mood}]