Privative \Priv"a*tive\, a. [L. privativus: cf. F. privatif. See Private.]

1. Causing privation; depriving.

2. Consisting in the absence of something; not positive; negative.

Privative blessings, blessings of immunity, safeguard, liberty, and integrity. --Jer. Taylor.

3. (Gram.) Implying privation or negation; giving a negative force to a word; as, alpha privative; privative particles; -- applied to such prefixes and suffixes as a- (Gr. ?), un-, non-, -less.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Privative \Priv"a*tive\, n.

1. That of which the essence is the absence of something.

Blackness and darkness are indeed but privatives. --Bacon.

2. (Logic) A term indicating the absence of any quality which might be naturally or rationally expected; -- called also privative term.

3. (Gram.) A privative prefix or suffix. See Privative, a., 3.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)