factitif

French

Etymology

From Latin factitō + -if.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fak.ti.tif/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

factitif (feminine factitive, masculine plural factitifs, feminine plural factitives)

1. (grammar) causative; factitive (said of a verb where the subject is made to do the action)

   Il faut distinguer forme factitive du verbe et son sens factitif. Ainsi, un verbe comme « construire » peut être employé dans un sens factitif: Pierre construit une maison en banlieue. [Il la construit lui-même, ou il la fait construire, selon le cas].

   It is necessary to distinguish between the factitive form of the verb and its factitive meaning. In this way, a verb such as “construire” can be used in a factitive sense: Pierre is building a house in the suburbs. [He builds it himself, or he has it built, depending on the case].

Noun

factitif m (plural factitifs)

1. (grammar) causative; factitive (verbal mode where the subject causes the action to be done)

   Le factitif s’applique à un verbe transitif et indique que le sujet fait effectuer une action par un autre agent que lui-même.

   The factitive applies itself to a transitive verb and indicates that the subject has an action performed by an agent other than itself.

Further reading

• “factitif”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.