adj. 1. Dividing or serving to divide something into parts; marked by division. 2. Grammar Indicating a part as distinct from a whole, as some of the coffee in the sentence She drank some of the coffee. n. Grammar 1. A partitive word, such as many or less. 2. A partitive construction or case. [Middle English, from Old French partitif, from Medieval Latin partītīvus, from Latin partītus, past participle of partīre, to divide; see PARTITE.] parti·tive·ly adv. |
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