Meanings
alternative archaic genetive
- not comparablegrammarOf a grammatical case: in an inflected language (such as Greek or Latin), expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor; and in an uninflected language (such as English), expressing origin or possession; possessive.
dependent genitive
5 more examples
independent genitive
The student who had taken a German exam realised his error afterwards. He had used the dative case instead of the genitive case to show possession.
[T]he poticaries and barbarus wryters call it [the iris] Irios in the genetiue caſe.
1562, Wylliam Turner [i.e., William Turner], “Of the Herbe Called in Latin Irio”, in The Second Parte of Guilliam Turners Herball⸝ […], Cologne: […] Arnold Birckman, →OCLC, folio 23, rectoNouns Subſtantive have five Declenſions or forms of ending thir Caſes, chiefly diſtinguiſht by the different ending of thir Genitive Singular. […] The firſt [declension] is vvhen the Genitive and Dative ſingular end in æ, &c., […]
1669, J[ohn] M[ilton], “Of Nouns”, in Accedence Commenc’t Grammar, […], to Attain the Latin Tongue; […], London: […] S[amuel] Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 5Two kinds of genitive: All nouns have a genitive form, but pronouns have two of them. The dependent genitive form is used before a head noun, and the independent genitive form (usually distinct) is used on its own but with a genitive-related meaning. […] my painting, where my is the dependent genitive of I, but That painting is mine, where mine is the independent genitive […]
2024, Geoffrey K. Pullum, The Truth About English Grammar, Polity Press, →ISBN, pages 38-39 - not comparablegrammarOf, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case.
- archaicnot comparableOf or pertaining to the generation of offspring; generative, procreative, reproductive.
Synonyms: progenitive
plural genitives · alternative genetive · alternative archaic genetive
- abbreviationcountableellipsisuncountablegrammarEllipsis of genitive case (“a grammatical case used to express a relationship of origin or possession”).
Nounes, Pronounes, and Participles are declin'd vvith ſix Endings, vvhich are called Caſes, both in the Singular and Plural Number. The Nominative, Genitive, Dative, Accuſative, Vocative, and Ablative. […] The Genitive is Engliſht vvith this Sign of, as Libri of a Book.
1669, J[ohn] M[ilton], “Of Cases”, in Accedence Commenc’t Grammar, […], to Attain the Latin Tongue; […], London: […] S[amuel] Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 3 - countablegrammarA word inflected in the genitive case, and which thus indicates origin or possession.
This one vvord familia joyn'd vvith pater, mater, filius, or filia, endeth the Genitive in as, as pater familias, but ſomtimes familiæ.
1669, J[ohn] M[ilton], “Of Nouns”, in Accedence Commenc’t Grammar, […], to Attain the Latin Tongue; […], London: […] S[amuel] Simmons, […], →OCLC, page 51 more example
This older kind of genetive [i.e., the direct genetive] is apparently expressed only by the position of the two substantives, in which the governing word stands before the governed: pr:Z1-i-mn:n-A40 pr i̓mn "House of Amon."
1894, Adolf Erman, “Nouns”, in James Henry Breasted, transl., Egyptian Grammar […], London; Edinburgh: Williams and Norgate, […], →OCLC, § 122*, page 49
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveOf or pertaining to the generation of offspring; generative, procreative, reproductive.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveserving to express or indicate possession
nounthe case expressing ownership
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishgenetif“genitive case”
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵenh₁-“to beget, give birth; to produce”
- Latingenetīvus“pertaining to the generation of offspring; (grammar) pertaining to the genitive case”
- Middle Frenchgenetif
- Anglo-Normangenetif
- Middle Englishgenetif“pertaining to the genitive case; pertaining to the generation of offspring”
- Englishgenitive
The adjective is derived from Late Middle English genetif (“pertaining to the genitive case; pertaining to the generation of offspring”) + English -ive (suffix meaning ‘relating or belonging to’ forming adjectives). Genetif is from Anglo-Norman genetif, genitif, and Middle French genetif, genitif (“pertaining to the generation of offspring, procreative; (grammar) pertaining to the genitive case”) (modern French génitif), and from their etymon Latin genetīvus (“pertaining to the generation of offspring; (grammar) pertaining to the genitive case”) (whence Late Latin genitivus), from genitus (“begotten, engendered; produced”) + -īvus (suffix meaning ‘doing’ or ‘related to doing’ forming adjectives). Genitus is the perfect passive participle of gignō (“to beget, give birth to; to produce, yield”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget, give birth; to produce”). Latin genetīvus cāsus (or cāsus genetīvus, cāsus genitīvus (literally “grammatical case pertaining to birth or origin”)), was used to translate Koine Greek γενῐκή πτῶσις (genĭkḗ ptôsis, literally “inflection expressing a genus or kind”) which actually means “generic case”, though it refers to what is now called the genitive case. The noun is derived from Late Middle English genetif (“genitive case”), from the adjective (see above). Compare Middle French genitif (modern French génitif) and Latin genetīvus (short for genetīvus cāsus (“genitive case”)).
More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Middle French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans genitief
- genitiefof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Ancient Greek γενική
- γενική (genikḗ)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Arabic إِضَافِيّ, جَرِّيّ
- إِضَافِيّ (ʔiḍāfiyy)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- جَرِّيّ (jarriyy)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- خَفْضِيّ (ḵafḍiyy)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Basque genitibo
- genitiboof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Bulgarian роди́телен
- роди́телен (rodítelen)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Catalan genitiu, genitiu
- genitiuof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitiuword inflected in the genitive case
Chinese Mandarin 屬格 /属格
- 屬格 /属格 (shǔgé)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Czech genitivní
- genitivníof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Danish genitiv, genitivisk
- genitivof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitiviskof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- ejefalds-of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitivword inflected in the genitive case
Dutch genitief
- genitiefof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Estonian omastav
- omastavof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Finnish genetiivi-, genetiivinen
- genetiivi-of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genetiivinenof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genetiiviword inflected in the genitive case
- omantoword inflected in the genitive case
French génitif, génitive
- génitifof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- génitiveof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
German genitivisch, genetivisch
- genitivischof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genetivischof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- Genitivword inflected in the genitive case
Greek γενική
- γενική (genikí)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Hebrew יחס הקניין, יַחַס הַקִּנְיָן
- יחס הקנייןof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- יַחַס הַקִּנְיָן (yákhas ha-kinyán)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Hungarian birtokos
- birtokosof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Icelandic eignarfalls-
- eignarfalls-of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Indonesian genitif
- genitifof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Irish ginideach, ginideach
- ginideachof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- ginideachword inflected in the genitive case
Italian genitivo
- genitivoof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Japanese 生格, 属格
- 生格 (seikaku)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- 属格 (zokkaku)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Latin genetīvus
- genetīvusof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Latvian ģenitīvs
- ģenitīvsof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Malay genitif
- genitifof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Persian اضافه
- اضافه (ezâfe)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Polish dopełniacz, dopełniacz
- dopełniaczof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- dopełniaczword inflected in the genitive case
Portuguese genitivo, genitivo
- genitivoof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitivoword inflected in the genitive case
Romanian genitiv, genitiv
- genitivof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitivword inflected in the genitive case
Russian роди́тельный, сло́во в роди́тельном падеже́
- роди́тельный (rodítelʹnyj)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- сло́во в роди́тельном падеже́ (slóvo v rodítelʹnom padežé)word inflected in the genitive case
Scottish Gaelic ginideach
- ginideachof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Slovak genitívny
- genitívnyof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Spanish genitivo
- genitivoof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Swedish genitiv, genitiv
- genitivof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genitivword inflected in the genitive case
Turkish tamlayan, tamlayan
- tamlayanof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- tamlayanword inflected in the genitive case
Ukrainian родо́ви́й
- родо́ви́й (rodóvýj)of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
Welsh genidol, genidol
- genidolof a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
- genidolword inflected in the genitive case
Cite this entry
genitive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genitive
“genitive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genitive. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “genitive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/genitive.
Source: genitive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.