invasive

CEFRB2

/ɪnˈveɪsɪv/

adjective

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    adjective

    Spreading into a place where it is unwanted or harmful.

  2. 02

    adjective

    Involving a medical procedure that enters the body.

Examples

  • Sami's stepdad didn't want to be too invasive.

  • Sami's mom was very invasive.

At a glance

Sits at B2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5

Also pronounced

  • /-zɪv/

Deep Dive

adjective

Extra meanings

  1. Intrusive on one's privacy, rights, sphere of activity, etc.

  2. That invades a foreign country using military force; also, militarily aggressive.

  3. Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive.

More examples

In context

  • an invasive species

  • The Spanyards called their invaſive fleete againſt England the Navie Invincible, yet it was overcome.

  • Oh inglorious league: / Shall we vpon the footing of our land, / Send fayre-play-orders, and make comprimiſe, / Inſinuation, parley, and baſe truce / To Armes Inuaſiue?

Antonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The blank plant species from another country spreads quickly and destroys native plants.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

adjective

PIE word *h₁én The adjective is derived from Middle English invasif (“of a weapon: offensive”), from Middle French invasif, Old French invasif (“invasive”) (modern French invasif), from Medieval Latin invāsīvus, from Latin invāsus (“entered; invaded”) + -īvus (suffix forming adjectives). Invāsus is the perfect passive participle of invādō (“to enter; to invade”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside’) + vādō (“to go; to rush; to walk”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂dʰ- (“to go, proceed; to pass, traverse”)). The noun is derived from the adjective.