[dey-tiv] 
Grammar| 1. | (in certain inflected languages, as Latin, Greek, and German) noting a case having as a distinctive function indication of the indirect object of a verb or the object of certain prepositions. |
| 2. | the dative case. |
| 3. | a word or form in that case, as Latin regi in regi haec dicite meaning “tell this to the king.” |
| da·tive (dā'tĭv) adj. Of, relating to, or being the grammatical case that marks the recipient of action, that often indicates the indirect object of the verb, and that can be used with prepositions or other function words corresponding in meaning to English to and for. n.
[Middle English datif, from Latin (cāsus) datīvus, (case) of giving (translation of Greek dotikē ptōsis), from datus, past participle of dare, to give; see dō- in Indo-European roots.] da'tive·ly adv. |
tɪv