\Priv"a*tive\, a. [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See
{Private}.]
1. Causing privation; depriving.
2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive;
   negative.
         Privative blessings, blessings of immunity,
         safeguard, liberty, and integrity.    --Jer. Taylor.
3. (Gram.) Implying privation or negation; giving a negative
   force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles;
   -- applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. ?),
   un-, non-, -less.

\Priv"a*tive\, n.
1. That of which the essence is the absence of something.
         Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives.
                                               --Bacon.
2. (Logic) A term indicating the absence of any quality which
   might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also
   {privative term}.
3. (Gram.) A privative prefix or suffix. See {Privative}, a.,
   3.