privative

Privative \Priv"a*tive\, a. [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See
   {Private}.]
   1. Causing privation; depriving.
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   2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive;
      negative.
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            Privative blessings, blessings of immunity,
            safeguard, liberty, and integrity.    --Jer. Taylor.
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   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. ?),
      un-, non-, -less.
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Privative \Priv"a*tive\, n.
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   1. That of which the essence is the absence of something.
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            Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives.
                                                  --Bacon.
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   2. (Logic) A term indicating the absence of any quality which
      might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also
      {privative term}.
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   3. (Gram.) A privative prefix or suffix. See {Privative}, a.,
      3.
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