WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
pre•pos•i•tive
(prē poz′i tiv),USA pronunciation [Gram.]
adj.
n.
pre•pos′i•tive•ly, adv.
adj.
- Grammar(of a word) placed before another word to modify it or to show its relation to other parts of the sentence. In red book, red is a prepositive adjective. John's in John's book is a prepositive genitive.
n.
- Grammara word placed before another as a modifier or to show its relation to other parts of the sentence.
- Late Latin praepositīvus prefixed. See preposition, -ive
- 1575–85