additive

1 of 3

adjective

ad·​di·​tive ˈa-də-tiv How to pronounce additive (audio)
Synonyms of additivenext
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by addition
an additive process
2
: produced by addition
3
: characterized by, being, or producing effects (such as drug responses or gene products) that when the causative factors act together are the sum of their individual effects
additively adverb
additivity
ˌa-də-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce additive (audio)
noun

additive

2 of 3

noun (1)

: a substance added to another in relatively small amounts to effect a desired change in properties
food additives

additivity

3 of 3

noun (2)

ad·​di·​tiv·​i·​ty ˌa-də-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce additivity (audio)
plural -es
: the quality or state of being additive

Synonyms of additive

Relevance

Adjective

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of additive in a Sentence

Adjective certain drugs have additive effects when taken in conjunction with each other that one doesn't see when any one is used alone Noun (1) a gasoline additive to reduce pollution
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
This additive forms strong chelating bonds with the perovskite framework. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2026 This is additive to an IT operating model, meaning there will be more future technology development as projects, which in the past would have been considered cost-prohibitive, become economically feasible. — Rex Lee, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Noun
Some companies are seeking out more natural versions of their products, pressured by lawmakers and the vocal segment of customers who have railed against additives and artificial ingredients in foods. — Emily Heil, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026 Legally, up to one percent of additives are allowed to be used without being disclosed to augment color and flavor, but nowadays many tequila drinkers are specifically seeking out additive-free expressions. — Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for additive

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Late Latin additīvus, from Latin additus (past participle of addere "to add") + -īvus -ive

Noun (1)

derivative of additive entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1901, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of additive was in 1648

Phrases Containing additive

Browse Nearby Words

addition theorem
additive
additive identity
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Additive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/additive. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

additive

1 of 2 adjective
ad·​di·​tive ˈad-ət-iv How to pronounce additive (audio)
: relating to or produced by addition
additively adverb

additive

2 of 2 noun
: a substance added to another in small amounts to give or improve desirable qualities or decrease unwanted qualities
a gasoline additive
additives which color, flavor, or preserve food

Medical Definition

additive

1 of 2 adjective
ad·​di·​tive ˈad-ət-iv How to pronounce additive (audio)
: having or relating to a value or effect that is the sum of individual values or effects: as
a
: relating to the sum of the pharmacological responses produced by the concurrent administration of two or more drugs capable of producing the same kind of effect
b
: having a genetic effect that is the sum of the individual effects
additively adverb
additivity
ˌad-ə-ˈtiv-ət-ē How to pronounce additive (audio)
noun
plural additivities

additive

2 of 2 noun
: a substance added to another in relatively small amounts to effect a desired change in properties
especially : an agent added to a foodstuff to improve color, flavor, texture, or keeping qualities
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All