Meanings
- archaicnot comparableHaving the ability to perceive, perceptive, attentive, percipient.
If soul were the material form of the body, it would be no better than the lower "Mundane sprite," which has no animadversive power either.
1642, Henry More, “The Immortal Soul”, in A platonick song of the soul - not comparableCharacterized by disapproval, critical.
The disgraceful conduct of the Returning Officer for the City of London Election has been the subject of animadversive conversation in our own particular circle.
1843, “City Election,”, in Punch, volume 5, page 1811 more example
The conduct of the medical practitioner was denounced by one of the jurors as "mercenary"; and a special verdict, animadversive of the practice (if it be a practice), was entered.
1863, George Pound, “Reading Branch: President's Address,”, in British Medical Journal, volume 2, page 33
Origin
- Latinanimadvers-
- Englishanimadversive
From classical Latin animadvers-, past participial stem of animadvertere (“animadvert”) + -ive. Compare post-classical Latin animadversīvus.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with animadversive
Cite this entry
animadversive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/animadversive
“animadversive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/animadversive. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “animadversive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/animadversive.
Source: animadversive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.