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accusative

adjective
ac·​cu·​sa·​tive | \ ə-ˈkyü-zə-tiv How to pronounce accusative (audio) \

Definition of accusative

 (Entry 1 of 2)

1 : of, relating to, or being the grammatical case that marks the direct object of a verb or the object of any of several prepositions
2 : accusatory an accusative tone

accusative

noun

Definition of accusative (Entry 2 of 2)

: the accusative case of a language : a form in the accusative case

Examples of accusative in a Sentence

Noun

 a noun in the accusative

First Known Use of accusative

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for accusative

Adjective

Middle English accusatif, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin accūsātīvus, from accūsātus (past participle of accūsāre "to find fault with, accuse") + -īvus -ive

Note: Accūsātīvus is the Latin translation of Greek (ptôsis) aitiatikḗ; the early Roman grammarians who coined it presumably had in mind the verb aitiâsthai, which means both "to accuse, censure" and "to allege as the cause." The base of aitiâsthai is aitía, which corresponds approximately in meaning with causa, the base of accūsāre. Nonetheless, if ptôsis aitiatikḗ is the "causal case," cāsus accūsātīvus does not really convey the same idea, and the translation is more apt etymologically than literally.

Noun

Middle English accusatif, borrowed from Anglo-French, borrowed from Latin accūsātīvus, from accūsātīvus accusative entry 1

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More Definitions for accusative

accusative

noun

English Language Learners Definition of accusative

grammar : the form of a noun or pronoun when it is the direct object of a verb or the object of a preposition

See the full definition for accusative in the English Language Learners Dictionary

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