Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

combative

/kəmˈbæ.tɪv/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.88 in modern English

Syllables: com-bat-ive
IPA: /kəmˈbæ.tɪv/

18

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

3

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

adj

Given to fighting; disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.

Example Sentences

"Their combative conduct leads to many problems."
"He finds, not “demigods” but “a combative group of exhausted, drunken, broken, petty, partisan, scheming, squabbling, bloviating, sensory-deprived, underoxygenated, fed-up, talked-out, overheated delegates so distraught they threatened violence, secession."
"Salvation arrived - as it so often has in this nerve-shredding campaign - through Dykes, the combative striker."

Etymology

Etymology tree Vulgar Latin combatto Old French combatre French combattredeverb. French combatbor. English combat Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English combative From combat + -ive.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /kəmˈbæ.tɪv/
British English: /ˈkɒm.bə.tɪv/

Inflected Forms

more combative (comparative) most combative (superlative)

Derived Forms

combatively combativeness combativity noncombative uncombative

Frequently Paired Words

fight irritable strife

Synonyms

aggressive antagonistic assaultive bellicose belligerent combative martial militaristic philopolemic philopolemical pugnacious quarrelsome

Antonyms

calm conflict-free dovish nonaggressive nonbellicose nonbelligerent noncombative nonmartial nonmilitaristic nonviolent pacific passive

Questions

How do you pronounce combative?: The recorded pronunciation is /kəmˈbæ.tɪv/.
What does combative mean?: Given to fighting; disposed to engage in combat; pugnacious.
Where does combative come from?: Etymology tree Vulgar Latin combatto Old French combatre French combattredeverb. French combatbor. English combat Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Old French -ifbor. Middle English -yf English -ive English combative From combat + -ive.

How to pronounce combative

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “combative”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/kəmˈbæ.tɪv/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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