Optative

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -eɪtɪv

Alternative forms

• abbreviation, grammar: opt.

Origin

From Middle English optatif, from Old French, from Late Latin optātīvus, from Latin optātus, past participle of optāre.

Full definition of optative

Adjective

1. expressing a wish or a choice.
2. (grammar) related or pertaining to the optative mood.

Noun

1. (grammar) a mood of verbs found in some languages (e.g. Old Prussian, Ancient Greek), used to express a wish. English has no inflexional optative mood, but it has modal verbs like "might" and "may" that express possibility.
2. (grammar) a verb or expression in the optative mood.

Derived terms

• optatively