🧩 Dividing into parts 🔢 A part-word

partitive

1 9.1

Showing a part of a whole, often in grammar

adjective
/ˈpɑːrtɪtɪv/

Specialized

: partitivo

Using a partitive adjective can enhance the meaning of a statement by specifying a subset.

Examples

The teacher explained how partitive constructions help clarify the quantity in sentences.
The partitive presence is quite obvious and capricious.

Academic text (1996)
In English grammar, a partitive expression like 'some of the cake' indicates a portion of a whole.

Synonyms

partite

vspartitive

Specialized

1 8.8

Divided into separate parts or sections

is about the relation to parts or part expressions, not the divided state

separative

vspartitive

1 7.7

Causing things to be divided into parts

refers to the relation to parts or grammar rather than the separating purpose

partible

vspartitive

Specialized

1 9.9

Able to be divided into parts

concerns the relation to parts or expressing part of a whole, not mere capability

partitional

vspartitive

8.4

Relates to dividing something into parts

focuses on expressing a part of a whole rather than the action

Antonyms

whole

∞ 1.0

Complete and not broken or divided

entire

∞ 1.0

Complete with nothing missing

Surface Forms

partitive positive

Morphology

partitive = part (transparent) = part + ive

The adjective is formed from 'part' plus an adjectival suffix meaning 'relating to'; the relation to 'part' is clear though used in a technical grammatical sense.

Etymology

Partitive comes from the Latin root part meaning 'part' or 'share'. So a partitive adjective is about dividing or showing only a part of a whole, which is why it means 'relating to parts'.