designating or pertaining to a verb mood, as in Greek, that has among its functions the expression of a wish, as Greek íoimen “may we go, we wish we might go.”.
noun
2.
the optative mood.
3.
a verb in the optative mood.
Origin
1520-30; < Late Latinoptātīvus, equivalent to Latinoptāt(us) (past participle of optāre; see opt, -ate1) + -īvus-ive
Related forms
optatively, adverb
Examples from the web for optative
Crucially, however, these ties are seen as optative rather than given.
British Dictionary definitions for optative
optative
/ˈɒptətɪv/
adjective
1.
indicating or expressing choice, preference, or wish
2.
(grammar) denoting a mood of verbs in Greek, Sanskrit, etc, expressing a wish
noun
3.
(grammar)
the optative mood
a verb in this mood
Word Origin
C16: via French optatif, from Late Latin optātīvus, from Latin optāre to desire
Word Origin and History for optative
in reference to grammatical mood expressing wish or desire, 1520s, from Middle French optatif (15c.), from Late Latin optativus, from Latin optatus "wished, desired, longed for," past participle of optare "to choose, wish, desire" (see option).