in grammar, a particle, which, prefixed to a word, changes it into a contrary sense. Thus, among the Greeks, the α is used as a privative; as in α-πολεις, αθηναι, ακεβαλος, &c.—The Latins have their privative in i; as, incorrigibilis, indelabitur, &c.—The English, French, &c. on occasion, borrow both the Latin and Greek privatives.