PRIVATIVE

a. n.

6 definitions — Webster’s Dictionary (1828)

1.
a.

Causing privation; depriving.

2.
a.

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

3.
a.

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.

4.
n.

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

5.
n.

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

6.
n.

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

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