WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ab•la•tive /ˈæblətɪv/USA pronunciation adj.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- Grammarof or concerning a case in grammar used to mark the starting point of an action and, in Latin, to indicate how something is done, or by whom or what it was done:In the Latin translation of "from Tusculum,'' the Latin word "Tusculo'' is in the ablative case.
n. [countable]
- Grammarthe ablative case.
- Grammara word or other form in this case.
ab•la•tive1
(ab′lə tiv),USA pronunciation [Gram.]
adj.
n.
ab•la•ti•val
(ab′lə tī′vəl),USA pronunciation adj.
ab•la•tive2 (a blā′tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
ab•la′tive•ly, adv.
adj.
- Grammar(in some inflected languages) noting a case that has among its functions the indication of place from which or, as in Latin, place in which, manner, means, instrument, or agent.
n.
- Grammarthe ablative case.
- Grammara word in that case, as Troiā in Latin Aenēas Troiā vēnit, "Aeneas came from Troy.''
- Latin ablātīvus. See ablate, -ive
- 1400–50; late Middle English
ab•la•tive2 (a blā′tiv),USA pronunciation adj.
- Surgerycapable of or susceptible to ablation;
tending to ablate:the ablative nose cone of a rocket.
- ablate + -ive 1560–70
'ablatival' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):