Definition

Relating to a grammatical case that shows possession or a relationship between nouns.

Example

In Latin, the genitive case is used to indicate ownership, such as 'the book of the teacher.'

Conversation

I was reading about different grammatical cases in my linguistics class.

Oh really? Did you come across the genitive case?

Yes, it's fascinating how it expresses possession in some languages.

Totally! It's interesting to see how different languages handle that.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Definition

A grammatical term that refers to a case used to show possession or relationship between nouns.

Example

In English, the genitive case is often indicated by adding an apostrophe and 's' to a noun, like in 'John's book'.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of the genitive case in grammar?

Yeah, I think it shows possession, right?

Exactly! Like saying 'Sarah's book' uses the genitive form.

Root Explanation

Genitive → It is formed from 'genit-' (from Latin 'genitus', meaning born or produced) and '-ive' (meaning relating to). The word 'genitive' refers to a grammatical case that indicates a relationship of possession or origin, often translated as 'of' in English.

Memory Tip

Think of 'born' or 'produced' ('genit-') to remember that 'genitive' relates to indicating possession or origin.

Visually Confused Words