restrictive
UK[rɪˈstrɪktɪv]US[rɪˈstrɪktɪv]
adj
limiting or controlling something
adj
(grammar) (of a relative clause or phrase) giving essential information about a noun or noun phrase and not separated from it by a comma
Morpheme Breakdown
re
strict
ive
re
again, back
strict
tight, narrow
ive
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word "restrictive" has a layered history built upon the concept of binding or tightening. its core, "strict", originates from the latin verb stringere, meaning "to draw tight, bind, or compress", which itself traces back to the proto-indo-european root strenk- (tight, narrow). the prefix "re-", meaning "back" or "intensively", was added to form the verb "restrict", implying the action of binding back or confining. finally, the adjectival suffix "-ive" was appended, transforming the action into a descriptive quality. thus, the literal sense of "drawing tight again" evolved into the modern abstract meaning of imposing limits or controls.
Analysis
Structure: re (again, back) + strict (tight, narrow) + ive (adjective suffix)
- re: a latin prefix meaning "again, back, against".
- strict: from latin strictus (drawn tight, compressed), a substring of the english spelling.
- ive: a latin-derived suffix forming adjectives meaning "having the nature or quality of".
Examples
the club has very restrictive membership rules.
some countries have restrictive laws on freedom of speech.
in the sentence "the book that you lent me is fascinating," the clause "that you lent me" is a restrictive relative clause.