a. [ L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See Private. ] 1. Causing privation; depriving. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative. [ 1913 Webster ]

Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; -- applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. &unr_;), un-, non-, -less. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. That of which the essence is the absence of something. [ 1913 Webster ]

Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Logic) A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (Gram.) A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a privative manner; by the absence of something; negatively. [ R. ] Hammond. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The state of being privative. [ 1913 Webster ]