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possessive

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6 dictionary results for: Possessive

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

pos·ses·sive

[puh-zes-iv] Pronunciation Key

–adjective

1.	jealously opposed to the personal independence of, or to any influence other than one's own upon, a child, spouse, etc.

2.	desirous of possessing, esp. excessively so: Young children are so possessive they will not allow others to play with their toys; a possessive lover.

3.	of or pertaining to possession or ownership.

Grammar.

a.	indicating possession, ownership, origin, etc. His in his book is a possessive adjective. His in The book is his is a possessive pronoun.

b.	noting or pertaining to a case that indicates possession, ownership, origin, etc., as, in English, John's in John's hat.

–noun Grammar.

5.	the possessive case.

6.	a form in the possessive.

[Origin: 1520–30; < L possessīvus. See possess, -ive

]

—Related forms

pos·ses·sive·ly, adverb

pos·ses·sive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

pos·ses·sive (pə-zěs'ĭv) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Of or relating to ownership or possession.
Having or manifesting a desire to control or dominate another, especially in order to limit that person's relationships with others: a possessive parent.
Grammar Of, relating to, or being a noun or pronoun case that indicates possession.

n. Grammar

The possessive case.
A possessive form or construction.

pos·ses'sive·ly adv., pos·ses'sive·ness n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

possessive
adjective
1.	serving to express or indicate possession; "possessive pronouns"; "the genitive endings"
2.	desirous of owning; "small children are so possessive they will not let others play with their toys"
3.	having or showing a desire to control or dominate; "a possessive parent"
noun
1.	the case expressing ownership [syn: genitive]

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American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition - Cite This Source - Share This
possessive

The case of a noun or pronoun that shows possession. Nouns are usually made possessive by adding an apostrophe and s: ®ÄúThe bicycle is Sue's, not Mark's.®Äù Possessive pronouns can take the place of possessive nouns: ®ÄúThe bicycle is hers, not his.®Äù (See nominative case and objective case.)

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Possessive

Pos*sess"ive\, a. [L. possessivus: cf. F. possessif.] Of or pertaining to possession; having or indicating possession.

Possessive case (Eng. Gram.), the genitive case; the case of nouns and pronouns which expresses ownership, origin, or some possessive relation of one thing to another; as, Homer's admirers; the pear's flavor; the dog's faithfulness.

Possessive pronoun, a pronoun denoting ownership; as, his name; her home; my book.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Possessive

Pos*sess"ive\, n. 1. (Gram.) The possessive case.

2. (Gram.) A possessive pronoun, or a word in the possessive case.

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