1. relating to or expressing inference or conclusion
Usage: formal; logic

1. a grammatical case expressing motion into or toward something
Usage: grammar; linguistics

Examples

• The philosopher used illative reasoning to reach his conclusion.
• Her illative argument connected the evidence to the final verdict.
• In Finnish, the illative case shows movement into a place.
• The word ‘therefore’ serves an illative function in the sentence.
• Students struggled with the illative case endings in their language class.
• The illative construction indicates direction toward the house.