Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- adjective Of, relating to, or involving distribution.
- adjective Serving to distribute.
- adjective Mathematics Of or relating to a property involving two binary operations, usually multiplication and addition, in which the product of an element with a sum of terms is equal to the sum of the individual products of that element with each term. That is, if a × (b + c) = a × b + a × c, then the operation indicated by × is distributive over the operation indicated by +.
- adjective Grammar Referring to each individual or entity of a group separately rather than collectively, as every in the sentence Every employee attended the meeting.
- noun A distributive word or term.
from The Century Dictionary.
- That distributes; dividing and assigning in portions; dealing to each his proper share.
- Specifically—2. In logic, showing that a statement refers to each individual of a class separately, and not to these individuals as making up the whole class.
- Expressing separation or division: as, a distributive prefix: specifically, in grammar, used to denote the persons or things that constitute a pair or number, as considered separately and singly: as, a distributive pronoun; a distributive numeral.
- In mathematics, operating upon every part in operating upon the whole
- F
Φ (x, y, z, etc.) =Φ (Fx, Fy, Fz, etc.). - In a more general sense, every formula which expresses that the operations f, F,
Φ , are so related that in every caseΦ F(x, y) = f (Φ x,Φ y). - noun In grammar, a word that divides or distributes, as each and every, which represent the individuals of a collective number as separate.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun (Gram.) A distributive adjective or pronoun; also, a distributive numeral.
- adjective Tending to distribute; serving to divide and assign in portions; dealing to each his proper share.
- adjective (Logic) Assigning the species of a general term.
- adjective (Gram.) Expressing separation; denoting a taking singly, not collectively.
- adjective (Math.) any operation which either consists of two or more parts, or works upon two or more things, and which is such that the result of the total operation is the same as the aggregated result of the two or more partial operations. Ordinary multiplication is
distributive , since a × (b + c) = ab + ac, and (a + b) × c = ac + bc. - adjective (Math.) See
Fellowship .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Relating to
distribution . - adjective mathematics A property of functions that have a rule describing how the function can be performed to the individual components of another operation.
- noun grammar A distributive
adjective orpronoun . - noun mathematics A distributive
numeral .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adjective serving to distribute or allot or disperse
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
Support
Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word distributive.
Examples
-
He is not a communist, he writes, because although he does support what he calls "distributive justice" the distribution of material goods as well as "psycho-emotional" goods, such as stability and peace of mind, he also advocates for the private ownership of property.
The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and Headlines - The Washington Post Lisa Miller 2011
-
A bargain is called distributive when more for one means less for the other, when no joint gains beyond simple agreement exist.
The Manager as Negotiator Bargaining for Cooperation and Competitive Gain DAVID A. LAX 1986
-
A bargain is called distributive when more for one means less for the other, when no joint gains beyond simple agreement exist.
The Manager as Negotiator Bargaining for Cooperation and Competitive Gain DAVID A. LAX 1986
-
But there is another kind of justice called distributive justice, which deals which how collective entities a family, a company, or a state distribute their corporate products to the individuals that make up that collective entity and contribute to it.
Taxes: Fair or Foul? 2008
-
The very name which he gives to the social remedy, “distributism”, is felt to be quaint or strange only because of our complete lack of familiarity with the notion of distributive justice in this context.
-
As noted above the notion of distributive justice can be applied in the case of wages.
-
It gives to each according to his worth, like a manager or steward, and is consequently called distributive justice.
Nature and Grace: Selections from the Summa Theologica of Thomas Aquinas 1954
-
It is merely another manifestation of what has been referred to as the distributive aspect of society.
Introduction to the Science of Sociology Robert Ezra Park 1926
-
Of the above three uses the distributive is the only one which is to be found in the N.T. Mk. 6: 7 duo duo, 6: 39 sumposia sumposia, 6: 40 prasiai prasiai.
A Grammar of Septuagint Greek 1856-1924 1905
-
It is this comparison of merits, rationum, that Aristotle calls distributive justice.
What is Property? An Inquiry into the Principle of Right and of Government. 1890
Comments
Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.