Where does “substantive genitive” come from?
substantive genitive (English) comes from English substantive, from Middle English substantif, from Old French substantif.
Ancestry of “substantive genitive”, step by step
substantive genitive traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English substantive
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | substantive | of the essence or essential element of a thing;... |
| 2 | Middle English | substantif | — |
| 3 | Old French | substantif | — |
via English genitive
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | genitive | Of or pertaining to that case which expresses a... |