Possessive means wanting to keep something or someone all to yourself and not wanting to share. A possessive friend might get upset when you play with other kids at recess, acting like you should only spend time with them. A possessive older brother might refuse to let his sister borrow his bike, even when he's not using it.

The word comes from the idea of possession, meaning ownership or control. But possessive behavior goes beyond just protecting your things. It's that feeling of wanting exclusive control, whether over objects, people, or attention. A possessive student might hover over their art supplies during a group project, refusing to let anyone else use the markers. A possessive pet owner might feel jealous when their dog gets excited to see other people.

In grammar, possessive also has a specific meaning: it describes words that show ownership, like “mine,” “yours,” or “Sarah's.” When you write “the dog's bone,” that apostrophe-s makes it possessive, showing the bone belongs to the dog.

Being somewhat protective of your belongings makes sense, but extreme possessiveness can create problems in relationships and make people feel controlled or left out.