-ive

/ɪv/

suffix

An adjective suffix signifying relating or belonging to, of the nature of, tending to, or serving to; as: affirmative, active, conclusive, corrective, diminutive.

OriginMiddle English -yf ← Anglo-Norman -if ← Latin -īvus →
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Meanings

suffix
  1. An adjective suffix signifying relating or belonging to, of the nature of, tending to, or serving to; as: affirmative, active, conclusive, corrective, diminutive.

Origin

  1. Latin-īvus
  2. Anglo-Norman-if
  3. Middle English-yf
  4. English-ive

From Middle English -yf, from Anglo-Norman -if from Latin -īvus. Until the fourteenth century, all Middle English loanwords from Anglo-Norman ended in -if (compare actif, natif, sensitif, pensif etc.). Under the influence of literary Neo-Latin, both languages introduced the form -ive. Those forms that have not been replaced were subsequently changed to end in -y (compare hasty, from hastif, jolly, from jolif etc.). Like the Latin suffix -iō (genitive -iōnis), the Latin suffix -ivus is appended to the perfect passive participle to form an adjective of action.

More words from Middle English, Anglo-Norman, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans -ief
  • -iefadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Basque -ibo
  • -iboadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Catalan -iu
  • -iuadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Danish -iv
  • -ivadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Dutch -ief, -ieve
  • -iefadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ieveadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Finnish -iivi, -iivinen
  • -iiviadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -iivinenadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
French -if, -ive
  • -ifadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -iveadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
German -iv
  • -ivadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Hungarian -ív
  • -ívadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Indonesian -if
  • -ifadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Irish -ach
  • -achadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Italian -ivo, -iva
  • -ivoadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivaadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -iviadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -iveadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Japanese -的
  • -的 (-teki)adjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Korean -적
  • -적 (-jeok)adjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Latin -ivus, -iva
  • -ivusadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivaadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivumadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -iviadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivaeadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivaadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Malay -if
  • -ifadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Norwegian Bokmål -iv
  • -ivadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Polish -ny, -czy
  • -nyadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -czyadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Portuguese -ivo, -tivo
  • -ivoadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -tivoadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Romanian -iv, -ivă
  • -ivadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivăadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Russian -и́вный
  • -и́вный (-ívnyj)adjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Spanish -ivo, -iva
  • -ivoadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ivaadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Swedish -iv
  • -ivadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Tagalog -ibo, -iba
  • -iboadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ibaadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Turkish -ici, -if
  • -iciadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
  • -ifadjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Yiddish ־יוו
  • ־יוו (-iv)adjectival suffix: of the nature of; tending to
Cite this entry
APA

-ive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ive

MLA

“-ive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ive. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “-ive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/-ive.

Source: -ive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.