Someone who is possessiveabout another person wants all that person's love and attention.
Danny could be very jealous and possessive about me. [+ about/of]
He used to ring his possessive mother several times a day.
Synonyms: jealous, controlling, dominating, domineering More Synonyms of possessive
possessivelyadverb
Leaning over, he kissed her possessively on the mouth.
possessivenessuncountable noun
I've ruined every relationship with my possessiveness.
2. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
Someone who is possessiveabout things that they own does not like other people to use them.
People were very possessive about their coupons. [+ about]
3. adjective [ADJECTIVE noun]
In grammar, a possessive determiner or possessive adjective is a word such as 'my' or 'her' which shows who or what something belongs to or is connected with. The possessive form of a name or noun has 's added to it, as in 'Jenny's' or 'cat's'.
4. countable noun
A possessive is a possessive determiner or the possessive form of a name or noun.
More Synonyms of possessive
English Easy Learning GrammarPossessivesPossessives are used to specify the ownership of an item, or, if the noun refers tosomething animate, to specify a relationship. That is my car. Mr Smith ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarParts of speechSentences are made up of words. A sentence can be made up of any number of words. He left us. The man in the corner lowered his newspaper. Whenever I see ... Read more
English Easy Learning GrammarShowing possession through nounsPossession can be shown in two ways: The man was mending his car. The car was being mended by a man. by adding -’s to a singular noun, or an irregular ... Read more
possessive in British English
(pəˈzɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
of or relating to possession or ownership
2.
having or showing an excessive desire to possess, control, or dominate
a possessive mother
3. grammar
a. another word for genitive (sense 1)
b.
denoting an inflected form of a noun or pronoun used to convey the idea of possession, association, etc, as my or Harry's
noun
4. grammar
a.
the possessive case
b.
a word or speech element in the possessive case
Derived forms
possessively (posˈsessively)
adverb
possessiveness (posˈsessiveness)
noun
possessive in American English
(pəˈzɛsɪv)
adjective
1.
of possession, or ownership
2.
a.
showing, or characterized by a desire for, possession
a possessive child
b.
having or showing a desire to dominate, control, influence, etc.
a possessive mother
3. Grammar
designating or of a case, form, or construction expressing possession or some like relationship: in English, this is expressed a) by the addition of a final s (for nouns and some pronouns) preceded or followed by an apostrophe, or sometimes by the addition of an apostrophe only after a final (s) sound (Ex.: John's book, women's lives, boys' games, conscience' sake) b) by a change of form in pronouns (Ex.: I, my, mine; you, your, yours; it, its; who, whose) c) by of preceding a form without the possessive ending (Ex.: lives of men) or preceding a form in the possessive case (Ex.: a play of Shakespeare's, a friend of mine — called a double possessive)
see also genitive
noun Grammar
4.
the possessive case
5.
a word or phrase in this case
Derived forms
possessively (posˈsessively)
adverb
possessiveness (posˈsessiveness)
noun
Word origin
L possessivus
Examples of 'possessive' in a sentence
possessive
Some spouses tend to nag or criticise each other; others may be jealous or possessive.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Some spouses tend to nag or criticise each other; others may be jealous or possessive.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Being close without being possessive gives love its best chance.
The Sun (2012)
We used to have lots of rows as he was very jealous and possessive.
The Sun (2015)
There is a jealousy that goes beyond protecting and becomes possessive.
Christianity Today (2000)
Arg had accused the tearful blonde of being jealous and possessive.
The Sun (2011)
But he was controlling and possessive.
The Sun (2010)
She had cause to feel possessive.
Lucy Moore Liberty: The Lives and Times of Six Women in Revolutionary France (2006)
Maybe it was my possessive adjectives.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Everybody is a singular pronoun and requires a singular possessive pronoun: his or her.
Bachmann, Susan (editor) & Barth, Melinda Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric and Handbook (1995)
The intensity of his possessive attention is unchanged, but its quality is dramatically transformed.
Herman, Judith Lewis Trauma and Recovery (1992)
She was on her own because she'd recently finished with her possessive and controlling boyfriend.
The Sun (2014)
He was a jealous, possessive guy before and that is just what he is now.
The Sun (2014)
He is possessive, jealous and treats her badly.
The Sun (2012)
A similar misunderstanding would occur if the writer opted for her as the singular possessive pronoun.
Bachmann, Susan (editor) & Barth, Melinda Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric and Handbook (1995)
The thing that really struck me was his attitude towards the two women, which was possessive and controlling.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A relationship looks good now you both can see the difference between being in love and being possessive.
The Sun (2009)
Whose is a possessive pronoun.
Bachmann, Susan (editor) & Barth, Melinda Between Worlds: A Reader, Rhetoric and Handbook (1995)
You realise that you have become more possessive, that you would prefer your partner to commit herself more deeply to you.
Vera Peiffer POSITIVE THINKING: Everything you have always known about positive thinking but wereafraid to put into practice (2001)
I had a previous relationship in which the man was jealous and possessive; this a long time ago.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He's got to settle down and commit; or else chill out and be less possessive.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Love is not possessive Love is open, embracing others.
Bethune, Helen Positive Parent Power (1991)
Form the possessive correctly.
Marius, Richard A Short Guide to Writing About History (1995)
The problem with him is that he is already showing signs of being controlling and possessive, and that's likely to get worse.
The Sun (2013)
What was I to do with a possessive, selfish mother and a husband with similar traits?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Word lists with
possessive
grammatical
In other languages
possessive
British English: possessive ADJECTIVE
Someone who is possessive about another person wants all that person's love and attention.
He could be very jealous and possessive about me.
American English: possessive
Brazilian Portuguese: possessivo
Chinese: > 独占欲强的对某人
European Spanish: posesivo
French: possessif
German: besitzergreifend
Italian: possessivo
Japanese: 独占欲の強い
Korean: > 소유하려고 하는다른 사람을
European Portuguese: possessivo
Latin American Spanish: posesivo
Chinese translation of 'possessive'
possessive
(pəˈzɛsɪv)
adj
占(佔)有欲(慾)强(強)的 (zhànyǒuyù qiáng de)
n(u/c)
(Ling) 所有格 (suǒyǒugé)
to be possessive about sb对(對)某人有强(強)烈的占(佔)有欲(慾) (duì mǒurén yǒu qiángliè de zhànyǒuyù)
to be possessive about sth独(獨)占(佔)某物 (dúzhàn mǒuwù)
1 (adjective)
Definition
desiring excessively to possess or dominate
He was very possessive of his family.
Synonyms
jealous
She got insanely jealous and there was a terrible fight.