I. əbˈjektiv, äb-, -tēv also -əv adjective
Etymology: Italian obiettivo, from Medieval Latin objectivus, from Latin objectus object + -ivus -ive — more at object
1.
a. : of or relating to an object of action or feeling : forming an object of attraction or a final cause
b. : contained in, constituting, or having the status of an object: as
(1) : existing only in relation to mind : relating to the thing known considered merely in its relation to the knowing subject or to the thing willed or desired in its relation to the agent willing or desiring
(2) : existing independent of mind : relating to an object as it is in itself or as distinguished from consciousness or the subject
(3) : belonging to nature or the sensible world : publicly or intersubjectively observable or verifiable especially by scientific methods : independent of what is personal or private in our apprehension and feelings : of such nature that rational minds agree in holding it real or true or valid
his first impression was disproved by objective reality
(4) of a symptom of disease : perceptible to persons other than an affected individual
c. : emphasizing or expressing the nature of reality as it is apart from self-consciousness : treating events or phenomena as external rather than as affected by personal reflections or feelings
d. : expressing or involving the use of facts without distortion by personal feelings or prejudices
an objective analysis
objective tests
2. : perceptible to the senses or derived from sense perception
objective data
3. : belonging or relating to an object to be delineated
an objective line
objective planes
4. of a lens : nearest the object — see prism binocular illustration
5.
a. : relating to, characteristic of, or being the case which follows a verb used transitively or a preposition : being the case that denotes the relation of object ; also : relating to the relation itself
b. : expressing a relation that resembles that of an object to its verb
the objective genitive member's in a member's expulsion from the club
c. : taking an object or noun complement — used of an adjective or adverb (as worth in worth his salt and like in like his mother ) and of a transitive verb in contrast to an intransitive verb
Synonyms: see fair , material
II. noun
( -s )
1. : something toward which effort is directed : an aim or end of action : goal , object
2. : something that is objective ; specifically : something external to the mind
3.
a. : the objective case that in modern English replaces the Old English accusative and dative
b. : a word in the objective case
4. : a strategic position to be attained, the purpose to be satisfied (as the destruction of the effectiveness of an enemy's force), or the designated terrain feature to be reached by a military or naval operation
5. : a lens or system of lenses that forms an image of the object on a screen (as in a camera or projector) or in the focal plane of an eyepiece (as in a telescope or microscope)
Synonyms: see intention