intrusive
UK[ɪnˈtruːsɪv]US[ɪnˈtruːsɪv]
adj
tending to intrude, especially where one is not welcome or invited.
adj
(of a sound) inserted between words or syllables to make pronunciation easier, such as the *r* in *law(r) and order*.
adj
(geology) relating to or formed by the intrusion of igneous rock into other strata.
Morpheme Breakdown
in
trus
ive
in
into
trus
thrust
ive
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word "intrusive" originates from the latin verb intrudere, meaning "to thrust oneself in," which is a compound of the prefix in- ("into") and trudere ("to thrust"). the past participle stem trus- of this verb was adopted into english via medieval latin intrusivus. the suffix -ive was then added to form an adjective. the core semantic logic has remained remarkably consistent: from the literal physical act of pushing oneself into a space, the meaning broadened to describe any unwelcome or forceful encroachment, whether physical, social, or, in specialized contexts, phonetic or geological.
Analysis
Structure: in (into) + trus (thrust) + ive (adjective suffix)
- in: latin origin, a prefix meaning "into, in, on, upon."
- trus: latin origin, from the past participle stem of trudere, meaning "to thrust, push, shove."
- ive: latin origin, via french, an adjective-forming suffix meaning "tending to, having the nature of."
Examples
she found his constant questions intrusive and disrespectful.
the intrusive 'r' sound is common in many non-rhotic english dialects.
the landscape was dramatically altered by an intrusive mass of granite.