Etymology

From Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#OBJECTIVECategory:English terms derived from Middle English#OBJECTIVE obgectyf, from Middle FrenchCategory:English terms derived from Middle French#OBJECTIVE objectif and its etymon Medieval LatinCategory:English terms derived from Medieval Latin#OBJECTIVE obiectīvus.^[1] By surface analysis, object +‎ -iveCategory:English terms suffixed with -ive#OBJECTIVE.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɒbˈd͡ʒɛk.tɪv/, /əbˈd͡ʒɛk.tɪv/Category:English 3-syllable words#OBJECTIVECategory:English 3-syllable words#OBJECTIVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#OBJECTIVE
• (US) IPA^(key): /əbˈd͡ʒɛk.tɪv/Category:English 3-syllable words#OBJECTIVECategory:English terms with IPA pronunciation#OBJECTIVE

• Audio (US):

  (file)

  Category:English terms with audio pronunciation#OBJECTIVE
• Rhymes: -ɛktɪvCategory:Rhymes:English/ɛktɪv#OBJECTIVECategory:Rhymes:English/ɛktɪv/3 syllables#OBJECTIVE

Adjective

objective (comparative more objective, superlative most objective)Category:English lemmas#OBJECTIVECategory:English adjectives#OBJECTIVECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with entries#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with 3 entries#OBJECTIVE

1. Of or relating to a material object, actual existence or reality.
2. Not influenced by the strong emotions or prejudices.

   Synonyms: disinterested, unbiased; see also Thesaurus:impartial

3. Based on observed facts; without purely subjective assessment.

   Synonyms: factual, just

   • 1975, Constitution of Greece:

     Engagement of employees in the Public Administration and in the wider Public Sector, ..., shall take place either by competitive entry examination or by selection on the basis of predefined and objective criteria, and shall be subject to the control of an independent authority, as specified by law.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

   • 2018, Clarence Green, James Lambert, “Advancing disciplinary literacy through English for academic purposes: Discipline-specific wordlists, collocations and word families for eight secondary subjects”, in Journal of English for Academic Purposes, volume 35, →DOI, page 106:

     The value of pedagogical material informed by objective methodological procedures developed in corpus linguistics is widely recognized.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

4. (grammarCategory:en:Grammar#OBJECTIVE) Of, or relating to a noun or pronoun used as the object of a verb.
   • [1921 [1919], H. L. Mencken, chapter 41, in The American Language, 2nd edition, New York: Alfred A. Knopf, →ISBN, →OCLC:

     Let us now glance at the demonstrative and relative pronouns. Of the former there are but two in English, this and that, with their plural forms, these and those. To them, American adds a third, them, which is also the personal pronoun of the third person, objective case.]

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

6. (linguisticsCategory:en:Linguistics#OBJECTIVE, grammarCategory:en:Grammar#OBJECTIVE) Of, or relating to verbal conjugation that indicates the object (patient) of an action. (In linguistic descriptions of Tundra Nenets, among others.)
   • 2014, Irina Nikolaeva, A Grammar of Tundra Nenets, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, →ISBN:

     The general finite stem is the verbal stem which serves as the basis of inflection in the indicative present and past in the subjective conjugation and the objective conjugation with the singular and dual object.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

Noun

objective (plural objectives)Category:English lemmas#OBJECTIVECategory:English nouns#OBJECTIVECategory:English countable nouns#OBJECTIVECategory:English entries with incorrect language header#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with entries#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with 3 entries#OBJECTIVE

1. A material object that physically exists.
2. A goal that is striven for.
   • 1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion. Preface.”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, page 101:

     His [Henry Sweet's] true objective was the provision of a full, accurate, legible script for our noble but ill-dressed language; but he was led past that by his contempt for the popular Pitman system of Shorthand, which he called the Pitfall system.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

   • 1957 July, M. D. Greville, “A Diamond Jubilee of Railway Memories”, in Railway Magazine, page 459:

     In 1903, I had adventured, for the first time, northwards, and it really was the North, as my objective was the Great North of Scotland Railway.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

   • 1962 October, Brian Haresnape, “Focus on B.R. passenger stations”, in Modern Railways, page 252:

     The Group has recently concentrated on two main objectives, the implementation of a Code of Practice on minor station improvements and the preparation of a stock list of approved items of equipment for railway stations.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

   • 2012, Christine Wilding, chapter 2, in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Croydon, UK: CPI Group (UK) Ltd, page 15:

     Objectives are the stepping stones which guide you to achieving your goals. They must be verifiable in some way, whether thatʼs statistically – ‘the more I do this, the better I get at itʼ – or by some other achievable concept such as getting the job or relationship that you want. Itʼs crucial that your objectives lead you logically towards your goal and are quantifiable.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

   • 2020 December 2, Industry Insider, “The costs of cutting carbon”, in Rail, page 76:

     The new imperative for investment is the Government's objective to secure carbon-neutral transport emissions by 2040.

     Category:English terms with quotations#OBJECTIVE

3. (grammarCategory:en:Grammar#OBJECTIVE) The objective case.

   Synonyms: object case, objective case

4. (grammarCategory:en:Grammar#OBJECTIVE) a noun or pronoun in the objective case.
5. The lens or lenses of a camera, microscope, or other optical device closest to the object being examined.

   Synonym: objective lens

References

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɔb.ʒɛk.tiv/Category:French 3-syllable words#OBJECTIVECategory:French terms with IPA pronunciation#OBJECTIVE

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

  Category:French terms with audio pronunciation#OBJECTIVE
• Homophone: objectivesCategory:French terms with homophones#OBJECTIVE

Adjective

objectiveCategory:French non-lemma forms#OBJECTIVECategory:French adjective forms#OBJECTIVECategory:French entries with incorrect language header#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with entries#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with 3 entries#OBJECTIVE

1. feminine singular of objectif

Adjective

objectīveCategory:Latin non-lemma forms#OBJECTIVECategory:Latin adjective forms#OBJECTIVECategory:Latin terms spelled with J#OBJECTIVECategory:Latin entries with incorrect language header#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with entries#OBJECTIVECategory:Pages with 3 entries#OBJECTIVE

1. vocative masculine singular of objectīvus