ablative
1 of 2adjective (1)
ab·la·tive ˈa-blə-tiv 
: of, relating to, or being a grammatical case (see case entry 1 sense 3a) that typically marks a person, place, or thing from which someone or something else is separated or the source from which someone or something comes, and is also frequently used to indicate the cause of an event or condition or the instrument by which an action is accomplished see also ablative absolute
ablative noun
ablative
2 of 2adjective (2)
ab·la·tive a-ˈblā-tiv
1
: of or relating to ablation
2
: tending to ablate
ablative material on a nose cone
ablatively adverb
Word History
Etymology
Adjective (1)
Middle English ablatif, borrowed from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French ablatif, borrowed from Latin ablātīvus, from ablātus, suppletive past participle of auferre "to carry away, remove" + -īvus -ive — more at ablate
Adjective (2)
ablate + -ive
First Known Use
Adjective (1)
circa 1500, in the meaning defined above
Adjective (2)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing ablative
Medical Definition
ablative
adjective
ab·la·tive a-ˈblā-tiv, ə-
: relating to or involving surgical ablation
ablative treatment
ablative techniques