ABLATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does ablative mean? 

• ABLATIVE (noun)
  The noun ABLATIVE has 1 sense:

1. the case indicating the agent in passive sentences or the instrument or manner or place of the action described by the verb

  Familiarity information: ABLATIVE used as a noun is very rare.

• ABLATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective ABLATIVE has 2 senses:

1. relating to the ablative case

2. tending to ablate; i.e. to be removed or vaporized at very high temperature

  Familiarity information: ABLATIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABLATIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The case indicating the agent in passive sentences or the instrument or manner or place of the action described by the verb

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

ablative; ablative case

Hypernyms ("ablative" is a kind of...):

oblique; oblique case (any grammatical case other than the nominative)

• ABLATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Relating to the ablative case

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Domain category:

linguistics (the scientific study of language)

Pertainym:

ablative (the case indicating the agent in passive sentences or the instrument or manner or place of the action described by the verb)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Tending to ablate; i.e. to be removed or vaporized at very high temperature

Context example:

ablative material on a rocket cone

Similar:

subtractive (constituting or involving subtraction)

Derivation:

ablate (wear away through erosion or vaporization)

 Context examples 

It requires substantial ablative modalities to both reduce the number of cells present and to ensure dispersion of the aggregates.

(Leukostasis, NCI Thesaurus)