PRIVATIVE

Etymology

Adjective

privative (comparative more privative, superlative most privative)

causing privation; depriving

consisting in the absence of something; negative

(grammar) indicating the absence of something

Noun

privative (plural privatives)

something that causes privation or indicates an absence

Source: Wiktionary

Priv"a*tive a. Etym: [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See Private.]

1. Causing privation; depriving.

2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative. Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor.

3. (Gram.)

Definition: Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; -- applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. un-, non-, -less.

Priv"a*tive, n.

1. That of which the essence is the absence of something. Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. Bacon.

2. (Logic)

Definition: A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term.

3. (Gram.)

Definition: A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition