Privative
Pronunciation : Priv"a*tive a.
Etymology : [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See Private.]
Definition : 1. Causing privation; depriving.
2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative. Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor.
3. (Gram.)
Defn: Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; -- applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. un-, non-, -less.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913
Pronunciation : Priv"a*tive
Part of Speech : n.
Definition : 1. That of which the essence is the absence of something. Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. Bacon.
2. (Logic)
Defn: A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term.
3. (Gram.)
Defn: A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913