Desiderative

/dɪˈzɪdərətɪv/ adjective

Definition

Relating to or expressing a strong desire or wish for something.

Etymology

From Latin desiderativus, formed from desiderare (to desire) plus the suffix -ive (tending to, having the quality of). In linguistics, it refers to a grammatical mood expressing desire.

Kelly Says

Linguists use 'desiderative' to describe a special grammatical mood in some languages—like Japanese and Sanskrit—that specifically expresses 'I want to do X.' English doesn't have this built into our grammar, so we have to say it with extra words!

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.