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Glite Dictionary
🧩 Dividing into parts 🔢 A part-word
partitive

partitive

9.1
Showing a part of a whole, often in grammar
  • adjective
  • /ˈpɑːrtɪtɪv/
  • Specialized
translation icon : 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

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
partitional
vspartitive
8.4

Relates to dividing something into parts

focuses on expressing a part of a whole rather than the action
partite
vspartitive
  • Specialized
8.8

Divided into separate parts or sections

is about the relation to parts or part expressions, not the divided state
partible
vspartitive
  • Specialized
9.9

Able to be divided into parts

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

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'.