Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Privative
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.)
Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word;
as, alpha
; – applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. [GREEK]), un-, non-, -less. privative
; privative
particlesPriv′a-tive
,Noun.
1.
That of which the essence is the absence of something.
Blackness and darkness are indeed but
privatives
. Bacon.
2.
(Logic)
A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; – called also
privative term
. Webster 1828 Edition
Privative
PRIV'ATIVE
,Adj.
1.
Consisting in the absence of something; not positive. Privative is in things, what negative is in propositions; as privative blessings, safeguard, liberty and integrity.PRIV'ATIVE
,Noun.
1.
In grammar, a prefix to a word which changes its signification and gives it a contrary sense, as a, in Greek; unjust; un and in in English, as unwise, inhuman. The word may also be applied to suffixes, as less, in harmless.