causative: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal, Academic, Technical
Quick answer
What does “causative” mean?
Acting as a cause.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Acting as a cause; producing an effect.
In linguistics, a verb or construction that indicates that someone or something causes an action or state to happen. More broadly, expressing a relationship of cause and effect.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The term is equally specialised and formal in both varieties.
Connotations
Highly academic, technical, precise.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects; largely confined to linguistics, philosophy, law, and medical writing.
Grammar
How to Use “causative” in a Sentence
Be + causative + of + noun (e.g., 'is causative of disease')Causative + noun (e.g., 'a causative factor')Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “causative” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- This construction causativises the intransitive verb.
- Languages can causativise predicates through affixation.
American English
- The language causativizes the intransitive verb.
- Languages can causativize predicates through affixation.
adverb
British English
- This factor acted causatively on the outcome.
- The event is not viewed causatively but coincidentally.
American English
- This factor acted causatively on the outcome.
- The event is not viewed causatively but coincidentally.
adjective
British English
- The investigation identified a clear causative link.
- Smoking is a major causative factor in lung disease.
American English
- The investigation identified a clear causative link.
- Smoking is a major causative factor in lung disease.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in risk analysis or reports investigating the root causes of problems: 'Identifying the causative factors behind the supply chain failure is critical.'
Academic
Central in linguistics and philosophy: 'The researcher analysed the morphological structure of Japanese causative verbs.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual settings. A simpler synonym like 'cause' or 'reason' is used instead.
Technical
Used in medicine, epidemiology, and engineering: 'The lab confirmed the causative organism for the outbreak.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “causative”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “causative”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “causative”
- Using 'causative' in casual conversation instead of 'cause' (e.g., 'What was the causative of the delay?' is unnatural).
- Confusing 'causative' (adj./noun) with 'causal' (adj. only; describes a relationship).
- Incorrect stress: pronouncing it as /kɔːˈzeɪ.tɪv/ instead of /ˈkɔː.zə.tɪv/.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related but not identical. 'Causal' describes a relationship of cause and effect (e.g., a causal link). 'Causative' is stronger, implying something actively *makes* another thing happen (e.g., a causative agent) and is a key term in linguistics for verbs that indicate causing.
It is highly uncommon and sounds very formal or technical. In everyday speech, use words like 'cause', 'reason', 'source', or 'what made it happen' instead.
A verb that expresses an action which causes someone or something else to do or be something. Examples include 'make' (I made him leave), 'have' (I had my car repaired), and 'let' (I let them go). In some languages, these are formed with specific suffixes.
In American English, it is typically pronounced as /ˈkɑː.zə.t̬ɪv/, where the 't' sound in the middle is often a 'flap' or 'soft d' sound.
Acting as a cause.
Causative is usually formal, academic, technical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. This is a technical term.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'causative' as the more formal cousin of 'cause'. If something is CAUSATIVE, it is actively CAUSING an EFFECT. The '-ive' ending links it to other adjective-forming suffixes like 'active' or 'effective'.
Conceptual Metaphor
CAUSATION IS A FORCE OR AGENCY (e.g., 'The virus was the causative force behind the epidemic').
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'causative' MOST precisely and frequently used?