ablative

Fetched 2026-10-26 (cache).

Synonyms: oblative, allative, abrasive, relative, amative, ablation, illative, ablate, palative, elative, abortive

Antonyms: oblative, allative, abrasive, relative, amative, ablation, illative, ablate, palative, elative, abortive

Related words from Datamuse; suggestions, not definitions.

Adjective

1. {{senseid|en|grammar}} {{lb|en|grammar}} {{n-g|Applied to one of the [[case]]s of the [[noun]] in some languages, the fundamental meaning of the case being [[removal]], [[separation]], or [[taking away]], and to a lesser degree, instrument, place, accordance, specifications, price, or measurement.}} {{defdate|First attested from around (1350 to 1470).}}<ref name=SOED>{{R:SOED5|page=5}}</ref>
2. {{lb|en|archaic}} Pertaining to taking away or removing. {{defdate|Attested from the mid 16^th century until the early 18^th century.}}<ref name=SOED/>
3. {{lb|en|engineering|nautical|rocketry}} [[sacrificial|Sacrificial]], wearing away or being destroyed in order to protect the underlying material, as in ablative [[paint]]s used for [[antifouling]], or ablative [[heat shield]]s used to protect [[spacecraft]] during [[reentry]]. {{defdate|First attested in 1959.}}.<ref>{{R:CDOE|page=3}}</ref>
4. {{lb|en|medical}} Relating to the removal of a body part, tumor, or organ. {{defdate|First attested in the mid 20^th century.}}<ref name=SOED/>
5. {{lb|en|geology}} Relating to the erosion of a land mass; relating to the melting or evaporation of a glacier. {{defdate|First attested in the mid 20^th century.}}<ref name=SOED/>

Noun

1. {{lb|en|grammar}} The [[ablative case]]. {{defdate|First attested around 1350 to 1470.}}<ref name=SOED/>
2. An ablative material. {{defdate|Mid 20^th century.}}<ref name=SOED/>

Source: Wiktionary · CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wiktionary dump) · cached copy, not a rewrite.