transitive
Meaning
(of a verb) having or needing an object
(of a relation) such that if it applies between successive members of a sequence it must also apply between any two non-successive members
Structure
Usage
In the sentence "She read the book," the verb "read" is transitive.
The property of equality is transitive: if a = b and b = c, then a = c.
Many common action verbs, like "build," "carry," and "enjoy," are transitive.
Etymology
The word 'transitive' entered English in the mid-15th century from Late Latin 'transitivus', meaning "passing over (to another person)". This Latin term was built from the verb 'transire', meaning "to go over, pass over, cross". 'Transire' itself is a compound of the prefix 'trans-' ("across") and the verb 'ire' ("to go"). The grammatical sense, describing a verb whose action is carried "across" from a subject to an object, was established by the 1580s. The logical and mathematical sense, describing a relation where a property is transferred "across" a sequence, developed later, maintaining the core concept of transition or passage inherent in its roots.
Analysis
- trans: Latin origin, meaning "across, beyond, through". A prefix indicating movement or change from one state or place to another. - it: From the Latin verb stem 'it-', meaning "to go", derived from the verb 'ire'. - ive: A suffix of Latin origin ('-ivus'), used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or tending to".