POSSESSIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does possessive mean? 

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

1. the case expressing ownership

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

• POSSESSIVE (adjective)
  The adjective POSSESSIVE has 3 senses:

1. serving to express or indicate possession

2. desirous of owning

3. having or showing a desire to control or dominate

  Familiarity information: POSSESSIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• POSSESSIVE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The case expressing ownership

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

genitive; genitive case; possessive; possessive case

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

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

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "possessive"):

attributive genitive; attributive genitive case (a word in the genitive case that is used as an attributive adjective)

• POSSESSIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Serving to express or indicate possession

Classified under:

Relational adjectives (pertainyms)

Synonyms:

genitive; possessive

Context example:

the genitive endings

Domain category:

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

Pertainym:

possessive case (the case expressing ownership)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Desirous of owning

Context example:

small children are so possessive they will not let others play with their toys

Similar:

acquisitive (eager to acquire and possess things especially material possessions or ideas)

Derivation:

possess (have ownership or possession of)

possessiveness (excessive desire to possess or dominate)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Having or showing a desire to control or dominate

Context example:

a possessive parent

Similar:

dominant (exercising influence or control)

Derivation:

possess (have ownership or possession of)

possessiveness (excessive desire to possess or dominate)

 Context examples 

And even as he looked, the brute deliberately stretched himself after the manner of a lazy dog, yawning full in his face and looking upon him with a possessive eye, as if, in truth, he were merely a delayed meal that was soon to be eaten.

(White Fang, by Jack London)