denoting an utterance that constitutes some act, esp the act described by the verb. For example, I confess that I was there is itself a confession, and so is performative in the narrower sense, while I'd like you to meet … (effecting an introduction) is performative only in the looser sense
See also locutionary act, illocution, perlocution
b.
(as noun)
that sentence is a performative
2.
a.
denoting a verb that may be used as the main verb in such an utterance
b.
(as noun)
"promise" is a performative
Derived forms
performatively (perˈformatively)
adverb
performative in American English
(pərˈfɔrmətɪv)
adjective
of or having to do with performance; specif., designating or having to do with a statement that functions as an action and, hence, is neither true nor false