Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

agentive

adjective

/ˈeɪ.dʒən.tɪv/

Definition

relating to or denoting a linguistic form that expresses the agent of an action.

Examples

The agentive construction in this sentence highlights who is performing the action.
In linguistics, an agentive noun refers to someone or something that takes an active role in an event.
Using an agentive form can clarify the subject’s role in a sentence.

Meaning

Agentive describes the aspect of language that indicates the doer of an action, often represented in verbs and nouns that denote and emphasize the person or thing performing the action.