vocative

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I get pedantic about the placement of the vocative comma in “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.”

From The New Yorker • Dec. 18, 2018

Notice the abrupt change from third person "he" to vocative "thou" in the middle of verse four, the point at which the speaker is most in need of comfort.

From The Guardian • Feb. 7, 2011

Since Kunstler's role is usually to attack well-entrenched precedent he can be counted on for an original pro vocative argument.

From Time Magazine Archive

The vocative case is known by calling, or speaking to; as, O magister—O master; an exclamation which is frequently the consequence of shirking out, making false concords or quantities, obstreperous conduct in school, &c.

From The Comic Latin Grammar A new and facetious introduction to the Latin tongue by Leech, John

The imperative was represented by the bare stem, like the vocative, the accent being drawn back to the first syllable, though other modes of denoting it soon came into vogue.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 12, Slice 3 "Gordon, Lord George" to "Grasses" by Various