Privative

2 definitions found

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

  Privative \Priv"a*tive\, a. [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See
     {Private}.]
     1. Causing privation; depriving.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive;


        negative.
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              Privative blessings, blessings of immunity,
              safeguard, liberty, and integrity.    --Jer. Taylor.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Gram.) 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.
        [1913 Webster]

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

  Privative \Priv"a*tive\, n.
     [1913 Webster]
     1. That of which the essence is the absence of something.
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              Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives.
                                                    --Bacon.
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     2. (Logic) A term indicating the absence of any quality which
        might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also
        {privative term}.
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     3. (Gram.) A privative prefix or suffix. See {Privative}, a.,
        3.
        [1913 Webster]