a. [f. L. benedict- ppl. stem of benedīcere to bless + -IVE.]
1. Characterized by blessing; tending to bless.
1660. Gauden, Mem. Bp. Brownrig, 201 (L.). His paternal prayers and benedictive comprecations.
c. 1746. Hervey, Medit. (1818), Introd. 2. That the high and lofty One … should there manifest an extraordinary degree of his benedictive presence.
2. Gram. A form of the Optative Mood in the Sanskrit verb, also called the ‘precative,’ the use of which is to express wish or desire.
1841. H. H. Wilson, Skr. Gram. (1847), 114. The benedictive or optative mood is considered as a modification of the potential.
1879. Whitney, Skr. Gram., § 533. The aorist has also an optative, of somewhat peculiar inflection, usually called the precative (or benedictive).
Hence Benedictively adv. With the force of the benedictive mood.
