Definition
Abessive case is a case that expresses the lack or absence of the referent of the noun it marks.
It has the meaning of the English preposition without.
Discussion
The term abessive case is used especially in studies of Finno-Ugric grammar. Its synonym caritive case is used in the description of some other languages, notably Caucasian ones.
Sources 2
- Pei and Gaynor 1954, 3, 35
- Gove 1966, 3