Predicative

Alternative forms

• prædicative dated

Origin

predicate + -ive

Full definition of predicative

Adjective

1. (grammar, of an adjectival or nominal) Used after a verb, as a predicate; contrasted with attributive.In the sentence, ‘This house is big’, ‘big’ is predicative, whereas in ‘This is a big house’, it is attributive.

Antonyms

• attributive

Derived terms

• predicatively
• predicative adjective

Noun

1. (grammar) An element of the predicate of a sentence which supplements the subject or object by means of the verb. Predicatives may be nominal or adjectival.

• He seems nice. (adjectival predicative of the subject)
• Bob is a postman. (nominal predicative of the subject)
• We painted the door white. (adjectival predicative of the object)
• They elected him president. (nominal predicative of the object)