Standard Lemma guide

genitive

adj · noun · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈd͡ʒɛnɪtɪv/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: jĕ'nətĭv
  • General-American: /ˈd͡ʒɛnətɪv/

1

adj

Meaning 1

Of a grammatical case: in an inflected language (such as Greek or Latin), expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor; and in an uninflected language (such as English), expressing origin or possession; possessive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

Examples

  • dependent genitive
  • independent genitive
  • The student who had taken a German exam realised his error afterwards. He had used the dative case instead of the genitive case to show possession.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Of or pertaining to the generation of offspring; generative, procreative, reproductive.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: progenitive

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

Ellipsis of genitive case (“a grammatical case used to express a relationship of origin or possession”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

A word inflected in the genitive case, and which thus indicates origin or possession.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable

Topics: grammar, human-sciences, linguistics, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective

Meaning 6

serving to express or indicate possession

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • possessive pronouns
  • the genitive endings

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: possessive

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

the case expressing ownership

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: genitive case, possessive, possessive case

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: oblique, oblique case

Narrower terms: attributive genitive, attributive genitive case

History

Etymology

The adjective is derived from Late Middle English genetif (“pertaining to the genitive case; pertaining to the generation of offspring”) + English -ive (suffix meaning ‘relating or belonging to’ forming adjectives). Genetif is from Anglo-Norman genetif, genitif, and Middle French genetif, genitif (“pertaining to the generation of offspring, procreative; (grammar) pertaining to the genitive case”) (modern French génitif), and from their etymon Latin genetīvus (“pertaining to the generation of offspring; (grammar) pertaining to the genitive case”) (whence Late Latin genitivus), from genitus (“begotten, engendered; produced”) + -īvus (suffix meaning ‘doing’ or ‘related to doing’ forming adjectives). Genitus is the perfect passive participle of gignō (“to beget, give birth to; to produce, yield”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh1- (“to beget, give birth; to produce”). Latin genetīvus cāsus (or cāsus genetīvus, cāsus genitīvus (literally “grammatical case pertaining to birth or origin”)), was used to translate Koine Greek γενῐκή πτῶσις (genĭkḗ ptôsis, literally “inflection expressing a genus or kind”) which actually means “generic case”, though it refers to what is now called the genitive case. The noun is derived from Late Middle English genetif (“genitive case”), from the adjective (see above). Compare Middle French genitif (modern French génitif) and Latin genetīvus (short for genetīvus cāsus (“genitive case”)).

Across languages

Translations

78 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: genitief — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Albanian: gjinore — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Arabic: إِضَافِيّ (ʔiḍāfiyy) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Arabic: جَرِّيّ (jarriyy) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Arabic: خَفْضِيّ (ḵafḍiyy) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Armenian: սեռական (seṙakan) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Asturian: xenitivu — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Azerbaijani: yiyəlik — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Basque: genitibo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Belarusian: ро́дны (ródny) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Bulgarian: роди́телен (rodítelen) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Catalan: genitiu — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Chinese Mandarin: 屬格 /属格 (shǔgé) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Czech: genitivní — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Danish: genitiv — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Danish: genitivisk — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Danish: ejefalds- — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Dutch: genitief — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Estonian: omastav — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Finnish: genetiivi- — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Finnish: genetiivinen — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • French: génitif — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • French: génitive — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Galician: xenitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Georgian: გენიტივი (geniṭivi) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Georgian: ნათესაობითი (natesaobiti) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • German: genitivisch — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • German: genetivisch — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Greek: γενική (genikí) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Ancient Greek: γενική (genikḗ) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Hebrew: יחס הקניין — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Hebrew: יַחַס הַקִּנְיָן (yákhas ha-kinyán) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Hungarian: birtokos — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Icelandic: eignarfalls- — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Indonesian: genitif — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Irish: ginideach — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Italian: genitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Japanese: 生格 (seikaku) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Japanese: 属格 (zokkaku) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Kazakh: ілік (ılık) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Kyrgyz: илик (ilik) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Latin: genetīvus — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Latvian: ģenitīvs — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Malay: genitif — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Mirandese: genitibo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Old English: ġeāgniġendlīċ — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Old English: ġestrīenendlīċ — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Papiamentu: genitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Persian: اضافه (ezâfe) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Polish: dopełniacz — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Portuguese: genitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Romanian: genitiv — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Russian: роди́тельный (rodítelʹnyj) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Scottish Gaelic: ginideach — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Slovak: genitívny — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Slovene: rodilniški — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Spanish: genitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Swedish: genitiv — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Turkish: tamlayan — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Ukrainian: родо́ви́й (rodóvýj) — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Venetan: genitivo — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Welsh: genidol — of a grammatical case: expressing that a thing denoted by a word is related to a thing denoted by another word as its origin or possessor, or expressing origin or possession; of, pertaining to, or used in the genitive case
  • Catalan: genitiu — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Danish: genitiv — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Finnish: genetiivi — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Finnish: omanto — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Georgian: სიტყვა ნათესაობით ბრუნვაში (siṭq̇va natesaobit brunvaši) — word inflected in the genitive case
  • German: Genitiv — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Irish: ginideach — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Polish: dopełniacz — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Portuguese: genitivo — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Romanian: genitiv — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Russian: сло́во в роди́тельном падеже́ (slóvo v rodítelʹnom padežé) — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Serbo-Croatian: ге̏нитӣв — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Serbo-Croatian: gȅnitīv — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Swedish: genitiv — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Turkish: tamlayan — word inflected in the genitive case
  • Welsh: genidol — word inflected in the genitive case
Real reading context

genitive in complete knowledge articles