Definition of “possessive” - English Dictionary

American
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“possessive” in English

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possessiveadjective

uk ​ /pəˈzes.ɪv/ us ​ /pəˈzes.ɪv/

possessive adjective (PERSON)

› If you are possessive about something that you own, you do not like lending it to other people or sharing it with other people:

He's pretty possessive about his iPod - I wouldn't dare ask to borrow it.

C2 Someone who is possessive in his or her feelings and behaviour towards or about another person wants to have all of that person's love and attention and will not share it with anyone else:

a possessive mother
Her boyfriend was getting too possessive so she finished with him.

Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Grammar

Possessive ’sWe use apostrophe s (’s), also called possessive ’s, as a determiner to show that something belongs to someone or something: …
Possessives with of …
’s or of or either?There are some general rules about when to use ’s and when to use of but there are many cases where both are possible: …
Possession: typical errors …

(Definition of “possessive” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“possessive” in American English

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possessiveadjective

us ​ /pəˈzes·ɪv/

› grammar [ not gradable ] having or relating to the case (= form) of a word used to show who or what something belongs to

possessive adjective (OWN)

› If you are possessive about something that you own, you do not like sharing it:

He’s very possessive about his car.

› Someone who is possessive in feelings and behavior toward another person wants all of that person’s love and attention:

(Definition of “possessive” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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