D defs.my
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Entry 6 senses · 2 variants Webster, 1913

Privative

· Priv·a·tive · IPA /ˈprɪvətɪv/
01 a. Causing privation; depriving.
  1. 1.
    Causing privation; depriving.
  2. 2.
    Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative.
    “Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity.” — Jer. Taylor.
  3. 3.
    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.(Gram.)
02 n. That of which the essence is the absence of something.
  1. 1.
    That of which the essence is the absence of something.
    “Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives.” — Bacon.
  2. 2.
    A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term.(Logic) Also: privative term
  3. 3.
    A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3.(Gram.) See: Privative