affective

[ af-ek-tiv ]

adjective

1. of, caused by, or expressing emotion or feeling; emotional.
2. causing emotion or feeling.

affective

/ ˌæfɛkˈtɪvɪtɪ; əˈfɛktɪv /

adjective

1. psychol relating to affects
2. concerned with or arousing the emotions or affection

Derived Forms

• affectivity, noun

Other Words From

• affec·tive·ly adverb
• af·fec·tiv·i·ty [af-ek-, tiv, -i-tee], noun
• nonaf·fective adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of affective¹

1540–50; from Medieval Latin affectīvus, equivalent to Latin affect(us) (action noun; affect ¹ ) + -īvus -ive

Example Sentences

The affective and humorous two-hander, now at Mosaic Theater Company, covers nearly 10 tense years of annual October visits home during which John and adult daughter Caitlyn, both avid birders, indulge in their gentle hobby when they’re not fighting.

From Washington Blade

That narrative connection allows us to better see a situation from another’s viewpoint, and stories with an emotional bent engage the affective empathy network of the brain.

From Time

Soon he’ll go into winter hibernation, getting pasty and battling seasonal affective disorder like the rest of us.

From Outside Online

Natural selection processes shaped not only human physiology but human psychology as well—our cognitive, affective, and motivational capacities and dispositions.

From Nautilus

That fact alone demonstrates that more complex cognitive consciousness is dependent upon the basic affective form of consciousness that’s generated in the upper brainstem.

From Nautilus

Studies show seasonal affective disorder is four times more common in women than men.

From The Daily Beast

They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity.

From The Daily Beast

Instead, it turned out to be richly perceptual and affective.

From The Daily Beast

The repetitive nature of his work is both effective and affective, especially in an exhibition of this scale.

From The Daily Beast

Ariel Leve on why seasonal affective disorder does a disservice to those of us committed to year-round despair.

From The Daily Beast

But the affective or appetitive powers tend towards external action.

From Project Gutenberg

The students of Religion have usually been content to describe it either in intellectual or in affective terms.

From Project Gutenberg

The passionate vehemence with which her words were uttered was affective.

From Project Gutenberg

Our work as educators will be to maintain a working harmony in the affective and instinctive life of the people.

From Project Gutenberg

Volition is here used in the wider sense, as including all motor and affective activities in mind.

From Project Gutenberg