double genitive


double genitive

n. A phrasal construction in English in which possession is indicated by the word of followed by the possessive form of a noun or pronoun, as in a relative of mine or a friend of Pat's. Also called double possessive. See Usage Note at of.

dou′ble posses′sive


n. a possessive construction consisting of a prepositional phrase with of containing a substantive in the possessive case, as of father's in She is a friend of father's. Also called double genitive.