To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of double genitive
: a syntactic construction in English in which possession is marked both by the preposition of and a noun or pronoun in the possessive case (as in "A friend of Bob's is a friend of mine")
— called also double possessive
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on double genitive
What made you want to look up double genitive? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
More Confusing Words—Quiz
- The magician
______moved the selected card to the top of the deck.
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- More Confusing Words—Quiz
How many of these commonly confused words do you know?
Take the quiz - Name that Thing: Toys and Games Edition
It's all fun and games until someone beats your high score.
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Add Diction
Build a chain of words by adding one letter at a time.
Play the game
Share double genitive
Time Traveler for double genitive
The first known use of double genitive was in 1824
See more words from the same year