genitive
In modern English, the genitive is most commonly seen as the 'possessive' form, usually created by adding an apostrophe and an 's' (e.g., 'the teacher's book'). It is also frequently expressed using the word 'of' to show belonging or origin, such as in 'the roof of the house' instead of 'the house's roof'. While it often shows ownership, it can also describe a quality or a part of something, like in 'a day's work'.
💬Casual Conversation
Mark, this slide is a mess. Why is the genitive all wrong here?
My bad. I'll just wing it and fix the apostrophes later.
Meanings
Relating to the grammatical case that indicates possession, origin, or a close relationship between two nouns.
"In the phrase 'the dog's bone', the word 'dog's' is in the genitive case."
The form of a noun or pronoun used to show possession or origin.
"English has largely replaced the traditional genitive with the use of the preposition 'of'."