Accusative

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /É™.ˈkju.zÉ™.tɪv/

Origin

First attested in the mid 15th century. From Middle English, and from Anglo-Norman accusatif, from Middle French acusatif or from Latin accūsātīvus ("of accusing"), from accūsātus, perfect passive participle of accūsō. The Latin form was mistranslated from Ancient Greek αἰτιατική + πτῶσις (ptōsis, "case of that which was caused") from αιτία ("accusation or cause"). Akin to accuse.

Abbreviations

• grammar case: acc., A.

Full definition of accusative

Adjective

1. Producing accusations; accusatory; accusatorial; in a manner that reflects a finding of fault or blame
• This hath been a very accusative age — Sir E. Dering
2. (grammar) Applied to the case (as the fourth case of Latin, Lithuanian and Greek nouns) which expresses the immediate object on which the action or influence of a transitive verb has its limited influence. Other parts of speech, including secondary or predicate direct objects, will also influence a sentence’s construction. In German the case used for direct objects.

Noun

1. (grammar) The accusative case.