partitive etymology

Etymology

The word "partitive" comes from the Latin word "pars, partis," meaning "part." It is a grammatical term that refers to a word or phrase that indicates a part of a whole.

Meaning

In grammar, a partitive is a word or phrase that expresses a part of a whole. It can be a noun, pronoun, or adjective. Partitives are used to indicate that the whole is being divided into parts.

Examples

• Some of the students are going on a field trip.
• A few of the apples are rotten.
• A slice of the pizza is missing.

Origin

The use of partitives in grammar dates back to the ancient Greek and Latin languages. In Greek, partitives were formed using the preposition "apo," meaning "from," followed by a noun in the genitive case. In Latin, partitives were formed using the preposition "de," meaning "of," followed by a noun in the ablative case.

Over time, the use of partitives spread to other languages, including English. In English, partitives are typically formed using the prepositions "of" or "from."

Usage

Partitives are used in a variety of grammatical contexts. They can be used to indicate:

• A part of a physical object: Some of the cake is missing.
• A part of a group of people or things: A few of the students are going on a field trip.
• A part of a quantity: A slice of the pizza is missing.
• A part of a time period: Some of the day is spent working.
• A part of a distance: A few miles of the road are closed.

Partitives can also be used to express the idea of a fraction. For example, the sentence "Half of the students are going on a field trip" means that 50% of the students are going on a field trip.

partitive relate terms

• apart

  Etymology The word apart comes from the Middle English word a part meaning away fro

• apartment

  Etymology The word apartment comes from the French word appartement which in turn d

• bipartient

  Etymology Latin bipartiēns bipartientis bi two from Latin partiēns dividing

• bipartisan

  Etymology Bi Prefix meaning two from Latin bi from Proto Indo European dwi

• bipartite

  Etymology The word bipartite is derived from Latin Bi prefix two double P

• compartment

  Etymology The word compartment comes from the Latin words com together partim

• depart

  Etymology The word depart comes from the Latin word disparāre which means to separ

• department

  Etymology The word department comes from the Old French word département which in t

• jeopardy

  Etymology Jeopardy From Middle English jeupardie meaning risk or danger Ultimate

• multipartite

  Etymology Multi Latin Multiple many Partite Latin Divided separated Meaning

• parcel

  Etymology The word parcel comes from the Old French word parcelle which in turn deri

• parse

  Etymology parse verb from Middle English parsen from Old French parser from Late La

• part

  Part Etymology Middle English in the sense portion portion of a whole from Old

• partial

  Partial Etymology Partial etymology is the study of the origin and development of only a

• participate

  Etymology Middle English participien from Old French participle from Latin participi

• participation

  Etymology The word participation originates from the Latin word participatio which

• particle

  Etymology Late Latin particula diminutive of pars part Meaning A minute portio

• particular

  Etymology is the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have cha

• particulate

  Etymology Derived from the Latin particula meaning little part or particle Me

• partisan

  Etymology The word partisan comes from the French word partisan which in turn comes

• partition

  Etymology The word partition comes from the Latin word partitio which means a divid

• partitive

  Etymology The word partitive comes from the Latin word pars partis meaning part

• partner

  Etymology The word partner is derived from the Middle French word partenaire which i

• party

  Etymology The word party comes from the Old French word partie which means part po

• portion

  Etymology Middle English porcioun from Old French porcioun from Medieval Latin porti

• proportion

  Etymology From Old French proportion appropriate relation or measure from Latin pr

• quadripartite

  Etymology Quadri Latin for four partite Latin for divided Meaning Divided

• repartee

  Etymology French repartie Latin repartire meaning to divide distribute Meaning

• tripartite

  Etymology Tripartite is derived from the Latin word tripartitus which means divide

• word

  Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their development through history It in

• watershed

  Etymology The word watershed is derived from two Middle English words Water From Ol

• sister

  Etymology Old English sweostor Proto Germanic swestr Proto Indo European swesor Mea

• baffle

  Etymology Middle English bafel to confuse or bewilder Old French baffler to del

• epic

  Etymology The word epic originates from the Ancient Greek word epos which means wo

• help

  Etymology Etymology is the study of the origin and history of words and phrases It inves

• steward

  Etymology Middle English stuard steward Old English stigweard stiweard Proto German

• republic

  Etymology Derived from the Latin word res publica literally meaning public thing or

• doctor

  Etymology The word doctor derives from the Latin word docēre meaning to teach M

• reprobate

  Etymology From Middle English reprouable c 1400 from Anglo Norman French reprouvabl