non-possessive
|non-pos-sess-ive|
🇺🇸
/nɑn-pəˈzɛsɪv/
🇬🇧
/nɒn-pəˈzɛsɪv/
not showing or indicating possession
Etymology
'non-possessive' originates from English, combining the prefix 'non-' (from Latin 'non') meaning 'not' and 'possessive', ultimately from Latin 'possessus', the past participle of 'possidēre' meaning 'to have' or 'to hold'.
'possessive' came into English via Old French and Middle English from Latin 'possessivus' (related to 'possessus' and 'possidēre'); the negative prefix 'non-' has been used in English since Middle English (from Latin 'non') to negate adjectives and nouns, producing compounds like 'non-possessive'.
Initially formed simply as 'not' + 'possessive' (i.e., 'not showing possession'), the compound has retained that basic meaning but expanded in use to cover emotional (not clingy) and technical (not indicating ownership) senses.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not showing or characterized by possessiveness in personal or emotional relationships; not clingy or jealous.
She is non-possessive in relationships and trusts her partner.
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Antonyms
Adjective 2
not indicating or implying ownership; not expressing possession (used in legal, grammatical, or descriptive contexts).
Use a non-possessive form to avoid implying ownership in the sentence.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/16 21:48