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POSSESSIVE
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
I. (noun)
Sense 1
Meaning:
The case expressing ownership
Synonyms:
genitive; genitive case; possessive; possessive case
Classified under:
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents
Hypernyms ("possessive" is a kind of...):
oblique; oblique case (any grammatical case other than the nominative)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "possessive"):
attributive genitive; attributive genitive case (a word in the genitive case that is used as an attributive adjective)
II. (adjective)
Sense 1
Meaning:
Desirous of owning
Example:
small children are so possessive they will not let others play with their toys
Classified under:
Similar:
acquisitive (eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas)
Derivation:
possess (have ownership or possession of)
possessiveness (excessive desire to possess or dominate)
Sense 2
Meaning:
Having or showing a desire to control or dominate
Example:
a possessive parent
Classified under:
Similar:
dominant (exercising influence or control)
Derivation:
possess (have ownership or possession of)
possessiveness (excessive desire to possess or dominate)
Sense 3
Meaning:
Serving to express or indicate possession
Example:
the genitive endings
Synonyms:
genitive; possessive
Classified under:
Relational adjectives (pertainyms)
Domain category:
grammar (the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics))
Pertainym:
possessive case (the case expressing ownership)
