Optative
/ˈɒptətɪv/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A mood of verbs found in some languages (e.g. Sanskrit, Old Prussian, Tamil, and Ancient Greek, but not English), used to express a wish.
- 2 a mood (as in Greek or Sanskrit) that expresses a wish or hope; expressed in English by modal verbs wordnet
- 3 A verb or expression in the optative mood.
Adjective
- 1 Expressing a wish or a choice. not-comparable
"an optative blessing"
- 2 Related or pertaining to the optative mood. not-comparable
Adjective
- 1 relating to a mood of verbs in some languages wordnet
- 2 indicating an option or wish wordnet
Example
More examples"[…] then, in the optative retirement from hard science that building and opening a U.S.T.A-accredited and pedagogically experimental tennis academy apparently represented for him […]"
Etymology
From Middle French optatif, from Late Latin optātīvus, a calque of Ancient Greek εὐκτική (euktikḗ, “related to wishing”), from Latin optātus, past participle of optāre.