Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-ive

/ɪv/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.02 in modern English

Syllables
-ive
IPA
/ɪv/
6
Scrabble Score
3
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

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

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf 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.

Origin

Word Breakdown

  • Root: -yf, -if, -īvus

Questions

How do you pronounce -ive?
The recorded pronunciation is /ɪv/.
What does -ive mean?
An adjective suffix signifying relating or belonging to, of the nature of, tending to, or serving to; as: affirmative, active, conclusive, corrective, diminutive.
Where does -ive come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce -ive

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