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transitive definition

tran·si·tive (transə tiv, -zə-)

adjective

  1. Rare of, showing, or characterized by transition; transitional
  2. Gram. expressing an action thought of as passing over to and having an effect on some person or thing; taking a direct object: said of certain verbs
  3. Math. designating a relation having the property that, whenever a first element bears a particular relation to a second that in turn bears this same relation to a third, the first element bears this relation to the third identity and equality are transitive relations

Etymology: LL transitivus < L transitus: see transit

noun

a transitive verb

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Transitive or intransitive66 years ago

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