Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

assertive

/əˈsɝtɪv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.19 in modern English

Syllables: as-sertive
IPA: /əˈsɝtɪv/

12

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Boldly self-assured; confident without being aggressive.

adj

noun

Example Sentences

"Hence the ubiquity of Priapus himself as a sculptural representative of the generative principle, populated the Roman gardens, assertive in ithyphallic pose."
"an assertive taste or odor"
"Proportionative assertives occur in styles of all kinds, from the least formal to the most formal. Satisfactory declarative equivalents do not exist."

Etymology

Borrowed from Medieval Latin assertīvus. Synchronically analyzable as assert + -ive.

Word Breakdown

Root: *ser- (bind), assertīvus

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /əˈsɝtɪv/

Inflected Forms

more assertive (comparative) most assertive (superlative) assertives (plural)

Derived Forms

assertively assertiveness hyperassertive nonassertive overassertive subassertive unassertive underassertive

Phrases

self-assertive

Frequently Paired Words

assertative

Synonyms

self-asserting self-assertive

Rhymes With

furtive

Questions

How do you pronounce assertive?: The recorded pronunciation is /əˈsɝtɪv/.
What does assertive mean?: Boldly self-assured; confident without being aggressive.
Where does assertive come from?: Borrowed from Medieval Latin assertīvus. Synchronically analyzable as assert + -ive.

How to pronounce assertive

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