What does genitive mean?
A genitive is a grammatical case used to show that one noun or pronoun possesses, originates from, or has some other relationship to another word. In languages such as Greek, Latin, and Russian, the genitive is a distinct inflectional case with its own forms. English has no complete case system, but its possessive “'s” construction is traditionally described as genitive, so terms such as “genitive case” and “genitive ending” remain common in language teaching and linguistics. The word can also describe any word or form belonging to this grammatical category. For example, the Latin form “puellae” can be the genitive singular of “puella,” meaning “of the girl.” Although the English possessive ending does not function exactly like the genitive case in every other language, the terminology provides a useful framework for comparing grammatical relationships across languages. Genitive is therefore especially valuable to students of grammar, translation, and historical linguistics.
Of, relating to, or belonging to the genitive case; denoting possession, origin, relationship, or association.
"The phrase uses a genitive construction to connect the names to their country of origin."
This is the dominant modern use of the word in grammar and linguistics.
The grammatical case that indicates possession, origin, relationship, or association; also a word or form belonging to that case.
"The genitive is especially important in ancient Greek because it can express many kinds of relationships."
The noun can refer either to the case as a grammatical category or to an individual inflected form belonging to that category.
Used when referring to separate genitive cases in different languages or to several individual genitive forms.
"The genitives of Ancient Greek and Latin have different functions and inflectional patterns."
English calls the possessive “'s” genitive even though the full case system survives most clearly in languages such as Greek, Latin, and Russian.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does genitive come from?
The word entered English through Latin “genitivus,” an adjective associated with the genitive case and ultimately connected with the Latin word “genus,” meaning a kind, class, or origin. Latin “genitivus” developed as a grammatical term in the Roman grammatical tradition before being adopted into English. Its relatives include “generic,” “generation,” and “generous,” all of which reflect forms connected with the same Latin family of roots.
Related word forms
How genitive is actually used
In modern English, “genitive” is chiefly a grammatical or linguistic term. English possessive constructions are conventionally called genitive, although their relationship to the genitive cases of languages with richer case systems is debated. The adjective may occur before a noun, as in “genitive case,” or predicatively, as in “the ending is genitive.”
Easily confused with genitive
A genitive expresses a grammatical relationship such as possession or origin, whereas a generative thing is capable of producing or creating something.
Generic refers to something characteristic of a general class, whereas genitive refers to a grammatical case or to a word belonging to that case.