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ob·jec·tive (əb-jĕktĭv)
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adj.
1.
a. Existing independent of or external to the mind; actual or real: objective reality.
b. Based on observable phenomena; empirical: objective facts.
2. Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices: an objective critic. See Synonyms at fair1.
3. Medicine Relating to or being an indicator of disease, such as a physical sign, laboratory test, or x-ray, that can be observed or verified by someone other than the person being evaluated.
4. Grammar
a. Of, relating to, or being the case of a noun or pronoun that serves as the object of a verb.
b. Of or relating to a noun or pronoun used in this case.
n.
1. Something worked toward or striven for; a goal. See Synonyms at intention.
2. A thing or group of things existing independent of the mind.
3. Grammar
a. The objective case.
b. A noun or pronoun in the objective case.
4. The primary optical element, such as a lens or mirror, in a microscope, camera, telescope, or other optical instrument, that first receives light rays from the object and forms the image. Also called object glass, objective lens, object lens.
ob·jective·ly adv.
ob·jective·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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