Additive

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈadɪtɪv/
• US IPA: /ˈæɾətɪv/, /ˈæɾəɾɪv/

Origin

From Late Latin additivus, from the participial stem of Latin addere ("to add").

Full definition of additive

Adjective

1. (mathematics) Pertaining to addition; that can be, or has been, added.
2. (mathematics, of a function, etc.) Distributive over addition.Matrix multiplication is additive in that $M\backslash vec\; v+M\backslash vec\; w=M(\backslash vec\; v+\backslash vec\; w)$.
3. (algebra) Having addition as an operator.It is natural to look at a finite cyclic group as an additive group.
4. (chemistry) Pertaining to chemical addition.
5. (genetics) Describing genes (or the interaction etc. of such genes) which govern the same trait and whose effects work together on the phenotype.

Antonyms

• subtractive

Derived terms

• additive function
• additive inverse
• additive identity
• additive group
• additive color

Noun

1. A substance added to another substance or product for its ability to alter its properties.Oil may be used as an additive in gasoline to improve the lubrication of a small engine.
2. (grammar) A word or phrase that adds something, such as also, even, or nor.