OPTATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does optative mean? 

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

1. a mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or hope; expressed in English by modal verbs

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

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

1. indicating an option or wish

2. relating to a mood of verbs in some languages

  Familiarity information: OPTATIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OPTATIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or hope; expressed in English by modal verbs

Classified under:

Nouns denoting relations between people or things or ideas

Synonyms:

optative; optative mood

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

modality; mode; mood (verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker)

Domain category:

Sanskrit; Sanskritic language ((Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism); an official language of India although it is now used only for religious purposes)

Domain region:

Ellas; Greece; Hellenic Republic (a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil)

• OPTATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicating an option or wish

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Pertainym:

option (one of a number of things from which only one can be chosen)

Derivation:

opt (select as an alternative over another)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Relating to a mood of verbs in some languages

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Context example:

optative verb endings

Domain category:

grammar (the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics))

Pertainym:

optative mood (a mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or hope; expressed in English by modal verbs)