Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

absolutive

adjective

/ˌæb.səˈluː.tɪv/

Definition

A grammatical case used for the subject of an intransitive verb and the object of a transitive verb in certain languages.

Examples

In many ergative languages, nouns in the absolutive case are marked differently from those in the ergative case.
The absolutive marker can indicate that the noun is a direct object or subject.

Meaning

In certain languages, the absolutive case helps to mark the noun that is either the subject of an intransitive verb or the object of a transitive verb.