Definition of INVASIVE

invasive

Meanings

Plural: invasives

Adjective

  • relating to a technique in which the body is entered by puncture or incision
  • marked by a tendency to spread especially into healthy tissue
    • "invasive cancer cells"

Adjective Satellite

  • involving invasion or aggressive attack
    • "invasive war"
  • gradually intrusive without right or permission
    • "invasive tourists"

Adj

  • Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive.
  • That invades a foreign country using military force; also, militarily aggressive.
  • Intrusive on one's privacy, rights, sphere of activity, etc.
  • Originating externally.
  • Of an animal or plant: that grows (especially uncontrollably) in environments which do not harbour natural enemies, often to the detriment of native species or of food or garden flora and fauna.
  • Of a procedure: involving the entry of an instrument into part of the body.
  • Of a carcinoma or other abnormal growth: that invades healthy tissue, especially rapidly.

Noun

  • An invasive organism, such as an animal or plant.

Origin / Etymology

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.

Antonyms

confined, non-invasive, noninvasive, uninvasive

Scrabble Score: 14

invasive is a valid Scrabble (US) TWL word
invasive is a valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
invasive is a valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 17

invasive is a valid Words With Friends word