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Definition of possessive

possessive

/pəˈzɛs.ɪv/
pos · ses · sive

Adverb:possessively
•
Plural:possessives
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possessive Lexical Profile

possessive Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Demanding someone's total attention and love, or unwilling to share one's possessions with others.

Example

"The toddler became quite possessive whenever other children tried to play with his favorite toy."


2

Relating to or denoting a grammatical case, word, or construction that indicates ownership or a close relationship.

Example

"In English grammar, an apostrophe is frequently used to form the possessive case of a noun."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• noun

1

A grammatical case, word, or construction used to indicate ownership or possession, such as 'mine', 'their', or 'Sarah's'.

Example

"Students often confuse contraction forms with possessives when writing essays."

• Rhymes for possessive

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French 'possessif' or directly from Late Latin 'possessivus', originally used by Roman grammarians to translate the Ancient Greek grammatical term 'ktētikos' (denoting ownership). The psychological sense describing a controlling or jealous attitude in personal relationships emerged in the early 20th century.

Cite this Entry


Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Possessive. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/possessive
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