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I've

1 American  
[ahyv] / aɪv /
  1. contraction of I have.


-ive 2 American  
  1. a suffix of adjectives (and nouns of adjectival origin) expressing tendency, disposition, function, connection, etc..

    active; corrective; destructive; detective; passive; sportive.


-ive 1 British  

suffix

  1. (forming adjectives) indicating a tendency, inclination, character, or quality

    divisive

    prohibitive

    festive

    massive

  2. ( forming nouns of adjectival origin )

    detective

    expletive

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

I've 2 British  
/ aɪv /

contraction

  1. I have

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

See contraction.

Etymology

Origin of -ive

< Latin -īvus; in some words, representing French -ive, feminine of -if

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One retort I’ve received when recently presenting this performance data is that the non-U.S. stocks’ lead must trace to a declining U.S. dollar, which would boost the dollar-denominated return of foreign stocks.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 24, 2026

As a feminist who loathes the idea of toxic masculinity, I’ve worked to understand what is going on with the sexes these days.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026

The ideas I’ve outlined are only the beginning—pieces of a broader economic-growth strategy to ensure our country’s global pre-eminence for generations to come.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

"I've just got to forget about it. I was definitely focused and wanted to win tonight, and that's what I've done."

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

The humid, chlorine-tainted air warms me, and is a welcome reminder of the solitude I’ve been pining for.

From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam