Definition
partitives
noun
- Words or phrases that denote a part of a whole, typically used to express quantity or division (linguistics term).
Usage: technical/linguistic; plural form of partitive
Examples
- In English, words like 'some,' 'a few,' and 'a piece of' function as partitives.
- Partitives are used to indicate an indefinite quantity or a portion of something.
- The phrase 'a cup of coffee' contains a partitive that specifies the measure.
- Linguists study how different languages employ partitives to express partial quantities.
- Common partitives include 'a lot of,' 'most of,' and 'several of.'