possessive

Examples

• All

• In English grammar, the word "his" is an example of a possessive pronoun.

• Social practices are not clear, and legal mothers can feel possessive of the title "mother."

  Blog text (27)

• Other languages, though, will focus on different aspects of these possessive relationships and encode them differently.

  Blog text (3)

• For example, on the CELF--P2 item for possessive pronouns at age 5, children responded to "The cat is his."

  Academic text (2015)

• One small indicator of Jenny's extreme attachment is the change in her possessive language and pronouns.

  Academic text (2017)

• Spent most of the day explaining the difference between "your" possessive and "you're" apostrophe R-E to college juniors.

  A Simple Favor (2018)

• I think I like you better." Maxie gave him a cross-eyed look and put a kindly, possessive paw upon his hand.

  Fiction book (1992)

• Sano's heart clenched with a fierce, possessive tenderness as he smiled back.

  Fiction book (2000)

• The teacher explained that the possessive form of a noun shows ownership, like in "Emma's book."

Synonyms

G

genitive

vspossessive

• Specialized

1 7.7

Showing that something belongs to someone, for example 'the girl's book'

is an adjective for words or forms showing possession rather than the case name

P

possessory

vspossessive

• Specialized

7.8

Showing that something belongs to someone, for example 'his' or 'her'

refers specifically to words or forms that express ownership

Compounds

P

possessive case

• Specialized

4.4

A word form that shows who something belongs to, for example John's book

P

possessive pronoun

• Specialized

2.0

A word that shows who owns something, like mine or yours

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology