Causative means acting as the cause of something — it is the thing (or the word) that makes something else happen. A doctor may talk about the causative agent of an illness, meaning the germ that brought it on. That use is rather formal.

Causative means acting as the cause of somethingCausative的意思是「作為某件事的原因」——it is the thing (or the word) that makes something else happen指的是讓另一件事發生的那個東西（或那個字）。A doctor may talk about the causative agent of an illness醫生可能會說某種疾病的causative agent（致病因子），meaning the germ that brought it on指的是引起這個病的病菌。That use is rather formal這種用法算滿正式的。

Though actually, the meaning students meet most is in grammar: a causative verb is one where you do not do the action yourself, but you make someone else do it. "She had her hair cut" — she did not cut it; she caused it to be cut. English uses make, have, get, and let this way.

Though actually不過其實，the meaning students meet most is in grammar學生最常碰到的意思是在文法裡：a causative verb is one where you do not do the action yourself, but you make someone else do itcausative verb（使役動詞）指的是不是你自己做這個動作，而是你讓別人去做。"She had her hair cut"「She had her hair cut」——she did not cut it她不是自己剪的頭髮；she caused it to be cut是她讓別人剪的。English uses make, have, get, and let this way英語用make、have、get、let這幾個字來表達這種用法。

The old Latin word could also touch law and the accusative case, but that is not what English learners need; in English today it is "causing" and, in class, "make someone do".

The old Latin word could also touch law and the accusative case這個字的拉丁文老祖宗也跟法律和accusative case（賓格）有關，but that is not what English learners need但這不是英語學習者需要知道的，in English today it is "causing" and, in class, "make someone do"在現代英語裡，這就是「使某事發生」，課堂上就是「make someone do」。