Ergative

[Marquetta]

used to refer to a verb that can be transitive (= used with an object) or intransitive (= used without an object) , with the object of the transitive verb used as the subject of the intransitive verb. For example, close is an ergative verb (I closed the door| The door closed):

[Merna]

Relating to or denoting a case of nouns (in some languages, e.g., Basque and Inuktitut) that identifies the subject of a transitive verb and is different from the case that identifies the subject of an intransitive verb.