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optative

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
op·ta·tive  (pt-tv)
adj.
1. Expressing a wish or choice.
2. Grammar
a. Of, relating to, or being a mood of verbs in some languages, such as Greek, used to express a wish.
b. Designating a statement using a verb in the subjunctive mood to indicate a wish or desire, as in Had I the means, I would do it.
n. Grammar
1. The optative mood.
2. A verb or an expression in the optative mood.

[Middle English optatif, from Old French, from Late Latin opttvus, from Latin opttus, past participle of optre, to wish.]

opta·tive·ly adv.

optative [ˈɒptətɪv]
adj
1. indicating or expressing choice, preference, or wish
2. (Linguistics / Grammar) Grammar denoting a mood of verbs in Greek, Sanskrit, etc., expressing a wish
n
(Linguistics / Grammar) Grammar
a.  the optative mood
b.  a verb in this mood
[via French optatif, from Late Latin optātīvus, from Latin optāre to desire]
ThesaurusLegend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.optative - a mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or hope; expressed in English by modal verbs
Sanskrit, Sanskritic language - (Hinduism) an ancient language of India (the language of the Vedas and of Hinduism); an official language of India although it is now used only for religious purposes
Ellas, Greece, Hellenic Republic - a republic in southeastern Europe on the southern part of the Balkan peninsula; known for grapes and olives and olive oil
modality, mood, mode - verb inflections that express how the action or state is conceived by the speaker
Adj.1.optative - indicating an option or wish
2.optative - relating to a mood of verbs in some languages; "optative verb endings"
grammar - the branch of linguistics that deals with syntax and morphology (and sometimes also deals with semantics)
Translations
optative [ˈɒptətɪv]
A. ADJoptativo
B. Noptativo m
optative
nOptativ m, → Wunschform f
adjoptativ
optative [ˈɒptətɪv]
1. adjottativo/a
2. nottativo


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Then he looks at some of the dispositions cultivated by the narrative, particularly feelings of helplessness, knowingness, shame, and a peculiar attitude he calls optative.
to some forms of transitive or reflexive verbs; besides, in that case the suffix often occurs in the imperative, optative or desiderative and conjunctive forms ([TEXT NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII] 1985 : 329).
Nevertheless, the syntactic context allows for another interpretation, with the verb PRAY followed by a subordinate noun clause, functioning as the verb's object, in which the pronoun has the function of the subject and the following verb is in the subjunctive mood, showing modality (it is optative, i.
 
 
 
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