invasive

comparative more invasive · superlative most invasive

1. Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive.

   The Spanyards called their invaſive fleete againſt England the Navie Invincible, yet it was overcome.

   1592, Tho[mas] Nashe, “The Arrainment and Execution of the Third Letter”, in Strange Newes, of the Intercepting Certaine Letters and a Convoy of Verses, […], London: […] Iohn Danter, […], →OCLC; republished in J[ohn] Payne Collier, editor, Illustrations of Early English Literature (Miscellaneous Tracts; Temp. Eliz. and Jac. I), volume II, London: Privately printed, [1867], →OCLC, page 52

   3 more examples

   Oh inglorious league: / Shall we vpon the footing of our land, / Send fayre-play-orders, and make comprimiſe, / Inſinuation, parley, and baſe truce / To Armes Inuaſiue?

   c. 1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life and Death of King Iohn”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i]

   […] The Parliaments Forces, neither would, nor lawfully might in point of Law or Conſcience forcibly reſiſt or repulſe their invaſive Armes, without danger or High Treaſon and Rebellion, […]

   1643, William Prynne, “[The Third Part of the Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdomes.] To the Reader”, in The Soveraigne Power of Parliaments and Kingdomes: […], London: […] Michael Sparke Senior, →OCLC

   [T]he Sheriffe, or any of his Officers, for the better execution of Juſtice, may carry handguns or other weapons invaſive or defenſive, […]

   1650, Edward Coke, “St. Johns Case. 34. El. Banco Regis. fol. 71.”, in Thomas Ireland, compiler, An Exact Abridgment in English, of the Eleven Books of Reports of the Learned Sir Edward Coke, […], London: […] M. Simmons, for Matthew Walbancke, […], and H. Twyford […], →OCLC, book V, page 209

2. alsofigurativelygovernmentThat invades a foreign country using military force; also, militarily aggressive.

   1 more example

   He managed to get back Lorraine; made truce with the Hungarians, who were excessively invasive at that time. Truce with the Hungarians; and then, having gathered strength, made dreadful beating of them; two beatings,—one to each half, for the invasive Savagery had split itself, for better chance of plunder; […]

   1858, Thomas Carlyle, “Brannibor: Henry the Fowler”, in History of Friedrich II. of Prussia, Called Frederick the Great, volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], →OCLC, book II, page 70

3. broadlyIntrusive on one's privacy, rights, sphere of activity, etc.

   It's wrong of me to ask such an invasive question when I keep so many secrets hidden from you.

   2008 October, Leanne Smith, chapter 21, in Silent Mysteries: Discover the Mystery of Kara …, Chepachet, R.I.: Leanne Elise Smith, →ISBN, page 396

   Antonyms: uninvasive

4. broadlyOriginating externally.

   All invasive moral states and passionate enthusiasms make one feelingless to evil in some direction.

   1902, William James, “Lectures IV and V: The Religion of Healthy-mindedness”, in The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature […] , New York, N.Y.; London: Longmans, Green, and Co. […], →OCLC, page 90

5. broadlybiologyOf an organism: that grows (especially uncontrollably) in environments which do not harbour natural enemies, often to the detriment of native species or of food or garden flora and fauna.

   an invasive species

   1 more example

   It is estimated that the UK is home to around 3 million of the invasive rodents.

   2022 July 11, Helena Horton, “Oral contraceptives could help reduce grey squirrel numbers, research finds”, in The Guardian, archived from the original on 10 Dec 2022

   Antonyms: noninvasive, non-invasive

6. broadlymedicineOf a procedure: involving the entry of an instrument into part of the body.

   The natural evolution of minimally invasive surgery has taken the surgeon to new heights and has extended the breadth of laparoscopic surgery to include procedures of the colon.

   1995, Constantine T. Frantzides, Laparoscopic and Thoracoscopic Surgery, St. Louis, Mo.: Mosby, →ISBN, page 135

   Antonyms: noninvasive, non-invasive

7. broadlymedicineOf a carcinoma or other abnormal growth: that invades healthy tissue, especially rapidly.

   Two patients developed cancer in the upper urinary tract, and 3 eventually developed invasive cancer.

   1982, William W. Bonney, George R. Prout, Jr., editors, Bladder Cancer: American Urological Association Seminar on Bladder Cancer, Chicago, Illinois, April 1980 (AUA Monographs; 1), Baltimore, Md.: Williams & Wilkins, →ISBN, page 162

plural invasives

1. biologyAn invasive organism, such as an animal or plant.

   1 more example

   Is there ever a time to plant invasives—plants that are known to spread—in the garden? I believe the answer is a qualified "yes." There is never a time to plant exotic, that is non-native, invasives. Exotic invasives such as pampas grass and French and Scottish broom were sold by local nurseries in the past, before their destructive nature was understood. […] Native invasive plants are another story: there are situations in which they can be both practical and desirable.

   2005, Barbara J. Euser, “A Place for Invasives?”, in Barbara J. Euser, editor, Bay Area Gardening: 64 Practical Essays by Master Gardeners, Palo Alto, Calif.: Solas House, Travelers’ Tales, →ISBN, page 174