vocative
/ˈvɒkətɪv
/Grammar
adjective
Relating to or denoting a case of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives in Latin and other languages, used in addressing or invoking a person or thing.The vocative form is used with frequent appeals by name to the writer's friend ‘Molly.’
noun
1A word in the vocative case.Women tend to use such words as adorable, cute, lovely, sweet in describing people and objects and such vocatives as my dear, darling, sweetie....
- There's also the question of which adjectives can be used as nicknames, like ‘Slim’, ‘Red’, and so on - these can of course also be used as vocatives.
- He begins with the vocative attributed to Aristotle by Montaigne and others: ‘O my friends, there are no friends!’
1.1 (the vocative) The vocative case.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French vocatif, -ive or Latin vocativus, from vocare 'to call'.