ergative

er ga tive |ˈərgətiv ˈərɡədɪv |Grammar ▶adjective relating to or denoting a case of nouns (in some languages, e.g., Basque and Eskimo ) that identifies the subject of a transitive verb and is different from the case that identifies the subject of an intransitive verb. • (of a language ) possessing this case. • (in English ) denoting verbs that can be used both transitively and intransitively to describe the same action, with the object in the former case being the subject in the latter, as in I boiled the kettle and the kettle boiled . Compare with inchoative. ▶noun an ergative word. • (the ergative ) the ergative case. DERIVATIVES er ga tiv i ty |ˌərgəˈtivitē |noun ORIGIN 1950s: from Greek ergatēs ‘worker ’ (from ergon ‘work ’) + -ive .

ergative

ergative |ˈəːgətɪv |Grammar ▶adjective relating to or denoting a case of nouns (in some languages, e.g. Basque and Eskimo ) that identifies the doer of an action as the object rather than the subject of a verb. • (in English ) denoting verbs which can be used both transitively and intransitively to describe the same action, with the object in the former case being the subject in the latter, as in I boiled the kettle and the kettle boiled . Compare with inchoative. ▶noun an ergative word. • (the ergative ) the ergative case. DERIVATIVES ergativity |ˌəːgəˈtɪvɪti |noun ORIGIN 1950s: from Greek ergatēs ‘worker ’ (from ergon ‘work ’) + -ive .