1. Plural of determinative; words or morphemes that limit or specify the meaning of other words, such as articles, demonstratives, or possessives.
Usage: linguistics term; commonly used in grammar instruction
2. In Egyptology, symbols or signs placed before or after hieroglyphic words to clarify their meaning or category.
Usage: Egyptology; historical linguistics

Examples

• In English, the determinatives 'the', 'a', and 'this' help specify which noun is being discussed.
• The words 'my', 'your', and 'his' are possessive determinatives that show ownership.
• Linguists classify articles and demonstratives as determinatives because they determine the reference of nouns.
• Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics used determinatives to indicate whether a word referred to a person, animal, or object.
• Understanding determinatives is essential for learning how languages organize and clarify meaning.