a. and sb. [a. F. copulatif, -ive (Oresme, 14th c.), ad. L. cōpulātīv-us of or pertaining to coupling, connective, f. ppl. stem of cōpulāre: see above and -IVE.]
A. adj.
1. Serving to couple or connect; spec. in Gram. applied to conjunctions that connect (constructionally) words or clauses that are also connected in sense; opposed to adversative or disjunctive. [So already in Martianus Capella and other L. grammarians.]
1388. Wyclif, Prol., 57. A participle of a present tens … mai be resoluid into a verbe of the same tens, and a coniunccioun copulatif.
1520. Whitinton, Vulg. (1527), 6 b. Two nominatyue cases … with a coniuncyon copulatyue comynge bytwene.
a. 1653. Gouge, Comm. Heb. i. 5. (1655), 43. These copulative particles, and, again.
1824. L. Murray, Eng. Gram. (ed. 5), I. 139. Conjunctions are principally divided into two sorts, the copulative and disjunctive.
b. Involving such connection of words or clauses.
1586. Cogan, Haven Health, ccxliii. (1612), 262. These kind of copulative sentences.
1628. T. Spencer, Logick, 223. A Copulatiue Axiome … is that, the conjunction whereof, is Copulatiue.
1725. Watts, Logic, II. ii. § 6. Copulative propositions, are those which have more subjects or predicates connected by affirmative or negative conjunctions; as, riches and honour are temptations to pride.
1884. trans. Lotze’s Logic, 74. The copulative judgment (‘S is both p and q and r’).
c. Logic and Gram. Connecting the subject and predicate, or subject and predicative complement; forming the copula.
1654. Vilvain, Epit. Ess., VII. 42. With a Verb copulativ in midst of al.
1871. Public Sch. Lat. Gram., § 110. The Verbs which so couple a Subject and Complement are called Copulative Verbs.
† 2. Characterized by ‘copulation’ or connection; connective; forming a connected whole. Obs.
1648. Sanderson, Serm. (1653), 20. True obedience is copulative.
1660. Swinnock[e], Door Salv. Opened, 177. The commands of the Law are all copulative, they hang together like a carcanet of Jewels.
1676. W. Row, Contn. Blair’s Autobiog., xii. (1848), 425. The command in their Proclamation was copulative, to go to their meetings, and to attend and concur, and the going was only commanded in order to their attending and concurrence.
3. Zool. and Anat. Relating to or serving for the reproductive union of the sexes; copulatory.
1841–71. T. R. Jones, Anim. Kingd. (ed. 4), 147. At the extremity of the vagina is situated the copulative sac.
1859. Todd, Cycl. Anat., V. 545/2. The reproductive organs … are commonly subdivided into the formative and copulative.
B. sb.
1. Gram. A copulative conjunction or particle.
1530. Palsgr., 148. Of conjunctions some be copulatives.
1609. W. Sclater, Threef. Preservative (1610), B iv a. Copulatiues somtimes haue force of conditionals.
1695. Bp. Patrick, Comm. Gen., 156. A great number of learned men expound the particle Vau, as a Causal, not as a Copulative in this place.
1751. Harris, Hermes (1841), 187. The principal copulative in English is and.
1845. Stoddart, in Encycl. Metrop. (1847), I. 169/1. The Latin ac and atque … in their first sense are mere copulatives.
b. A connecting word or particle. rare.
1745. De Foe’s Eng. Tradesman, ii. (1841), I. 13. I can by no means approve of studied abbreviations, and leaving out the needful copulatives of speech in trading letters.
c. Logic. = COPULA. Obs. rare.
1752. Wesley, Wks. (1872), XIV. 162. 1. The subject … 2. The predicate … and 3. The copulative.
† 2. A copulative agent or instrument, a link, Obs.
1615. W. Hull, Mirr. Maiestie, 120. Righteousnesse, which is the copulative of all true vertues.
† 3. Something involving or characterized by connection or union; a connected whole. Obs.
1621. Bolton, Stat. Irel., 165. The same Act being in such a copulative.
1656. Trapp, Comm. John vii. 23. The law is one entire copulative.
† 4. Used humorously of persons about to be coupled in marriage. Obs.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., V. iv. 58. I presse in heere sir, amongst the rest of the Country copulatiues.
† 5. ? ‘Connection, conjunction by marriage’ (Todd). Obs.
1679. Ricaut, State of Greek Ch., 307. They understand Polygamie to be a Conjunction of divers Copulatives in number, which is not understood till a person proceeds unto a fourth Wife, which makes more than one Copulative in the rule of Marriage.
