PRIVATIVE

PRIVATIVE, in grammar, a particle, which, prefixed to a word, changes it into a contrary sense. Thus, VOL. XV. Part II.

among the Greeks, the $\backslash alpha$ is used as a privative; as in α-δωσ, α-βεισ, α-εσφαλαι, &c.—The Latins have their privative in; as, incurrigibilis, indeclinabilis, &c.—The English, French, &c. on occasion borrow both the Latin and Greek privatives.