Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

restive

/ˈɹɛstɪv/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.37 in modern English

Syllables
res-tive
IPA
/ˈɹɛstɪv/
10
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars

Meaning

Example Sentences

Etymology

Modification of earlier restiff, from Middle English restyf, from Old French restif, from rester (“to stay, remain”), from Latin restō. * Shares an etymology with rest ("to remain," obsolete) *Merriam-Webster states that this word was originally used to describe horses that disobeyed commands. Presumably, then, the word came to mean fidgety or anxious more broadly.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: restyf, restif, restō

Inflected Forms

more restive (comparative) most restive (superlative)

Derived Forms

Synonyms

Rhymes With

Questions

How do you pronounce restive?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈɹɛstɪv/.
What does restive mean?
Impatient under delay, duress, or control.
Where does restive come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce restive

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “restive”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈɹɛstɪv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “restive”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “restive” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.