distributive
|dis-trib-u-tive|
🇺🇸
/dɪˈstrɪbjətɪv/
🇬🇧
/dɪˈstrɪbjʊtɪv/
(distribute)
to give out
Etymology
'distributive' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'distributivus', where 'dis-' meant 'apart' and 'tribuere' meant 'to assign'.
'distributivus' transformed into the Old French word 'distributif', and eventually became the modern English word 'distributive'.
Initially, it meant 'to assign or divide', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'relating to distribution'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
relating to the act of distributing or the process of being distributed.
The distributive property in mathematics is a fundamental concept.
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Adjective 2
in grammar, referring to a word that indicates the distribution of something to each member of a group.
In the phrase 'each student', 'each' is a distributive adjective.
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Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45