jussive

J8U1S1S1I1V4E1
US[ˈd͡ʒʌsɪv]

noun

The jussive mood, a verb inflection used to indicate a command, permission or agreement with a request; an instance of a verb so inflected.

Similar
Scrabble 17

Meanings

nounjussive (usually uncountable, plural jussives)

plural jussives

  1. countableuncountableusuallygrammarThe jussive mood, a verb inflection used to indicate a command, permission or agreement with a request; an instance of a verb so inflected.

    The jussive and cohortative usually convey more indirect, or more subtle, expressions of volition than the imperative does.

    2006, Robert Ray Ellis, Learning to Read Biblical Hebrew: An Introductory Grammar, page 174
    3 more examples

    For example, in the Aaronide blessing, only two of the six verbs are formally jussives, yet all have the same volitional sense.

    1990, Bruce K. Waltke, Michael Patrick O′Connor, An Introduction to Biblical Hebrew Syntax, page 566

    As far as the jussive goes — ignoring the very few occurrences of this in first person — it can be noted that most of the second-person jussives are in negative commands.

    2003, Robert E. Longacre, Joseph: A Story of Divine Providence: A Text Theoretical and Textlinguistic Analysis of Genesis 37 and 39-48, 2nd edition, footnote, page 121

    If, on the other hand, reference is made purely to the root, we would expect all frequentative jussives to appear with a front element, producing *mɨt′ət′ɨs instead of mɨt′ət′ɨs (19d).

    2003, Sharon Rose, “The formation of Ethiopian Semitic internal reduplication”, in Joseph Shimron, editor, Language Processing and Acquisition in Languages of Semitic, Root-Based, Morphology, page 90
  2. ArabicuncountableusuallygrammarA verbal mood of vague or miscellaneous senses, occurring after some particles and in conditional clauses.

    Synonyms: apocopate

adjectivejussive (not comparable)
  1. not comparablegrammarOf or in the jussive mood.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA verbal mood of vague or miscellaneous senses, occurring after some particles and in conditional clauses.

Similar

Origin

  1. Latinjussus
  2. Englishjussive

From Latin jussus, perfect participle of jubeō (“to order, command”). Related to Latin iūs (“law, order”). Latin juss- + -ive.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic مَجْزُوم, مجزوم
  • مَجْزُوم (majzūm)jussive mood
  • مجزوم (majzūm)of or in the jussive mood
Bulgarian повелително наклонение, повелителен
  • повелително наклонение (povelitelno naklonenie)jussive mood
  • повелителен (povelitelen)of or in the jussive mood
Catalan jussiu
  • jussiuof or in the jussive mood
Chinese Mandarin 要求語氣 /要求语气
  • 要求語氣 /要求语气 (yāoqiú-yǔqì)jussive mood
Finnish jussiivi, jussiivi-
  • jussiivijussive mood
  • jussiivi-of or in the jussive mood
French jussif
  • jussifjussive mood
German Jussiv, Apokopat
  • Jussivjussive mood
  • Apokopatjussive mood
Italian iussivo, iussivo
  • iussivojussive mood
  • iussivoof or in the jussive mood
Japanese 要求法
  • 要求法 (yōkyū-hō)jussive mood
Korean 간접명령법
  • 간접명령법 (ganjeommyeongnyeongbeop)jussive mood
Latin modus jussivus
  • modus jussivusjussive mood
Polish tryb ścięty, ścięty
  • tryb ściętyjussive mood
  • ściętyof or in the jussive mood
Portuguese jussivo, jussivo
  • jussivojussive mood
  • jussivoof or in the jussive mood
Russian юсси́в
  • юсси́в (jussív)jussive mood
Spanish yusivo, yusivo
  • yusivojussive mood
  • yusivoof or in the jussive mood
Swedish jussiv
  • jussivof or in the jussive mood
Cite this entry
APA

jussive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jussive

MLA

“jussive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jussive. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “jussive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/jussive.

Source: jussive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.