In Ancient Greek grammar, the genitive absolute (Latin: genitivus absolutus) is a grammatical construction consisting of a participle and often a noun which are both in the genitive case, very similar to the ablative absolute in Latin. A genitive absolute construction serves as a dependent clause, usually at the beginning of a sentence, in which the genitive noun is subject of the dependent clause and the participle takes on the role of predicate.
The term absolute comes from the Latin absolutus, literally meaning made loose. This comes from the general truth that the genitive absolute does not refer to anything in the independent clause; although this is often true, there are many exceptions, notably in the New Testament and in Koine.
Read more about Genitive Absolute: Conjunctions in Different Tenses, Absolute Constructions, Examples
Famous quotes containing the word absolute:
“Powerful, yes, that is the word that I constantly rolled on my tongue, I dreamed of absolute power, the kind that forces others to kneel, that forces the enemy to capitulate, finally converting him, and the more the enemy is blind, cruel, sure of himself, buried in his conviction, the more his admission proclaims the royalty of he who has brought on his defeat.”
—Albert Camus (1913–1960)