resistive

R1E1S1I1S1T1I1V4E1

adjective

Tending to resist something or someone; resistant.

“a pure resistive circuit”

Similar
insubordinateresistantdefiantnoncompliant
OriginEnglish resist ← Middle English resisten ← Anglo-Norman resister →
Less commonScrabble 12
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectiveresistive (comparative more resistive, superlative most resistive)

comparative more resistive · superlative most resistive

  1. rareTending to resist something or someone; resistant.

    He had a stubborn, resistive nature.

  2. businessActing as a resistor; resisting the passage of electrical current.

    This material is highly resistive.

  3. businessOf an electronic circuit: consisting only of resistors and power sources; having no inductance and capacitance.

    a pure resistive circuit

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivedisposed to or engaged in defiance of established authority

Similar
insubordinateresistantdefiantnoncompliant
Also see
defiantinsubordinatenoncompliantresistant

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinre-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  4. Proto-Indo-European*stísteh₂ti
  5. Proto-Italic*sistō
  6. Latinsistō
  7. Latinresistere
  8. Anglo-Normanresister
  9. Middle Englishresisten
  10. Englishresist
  11. Englishresistive

From resist + -ive.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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