penetrative
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Etymology
Origin of penetrative
First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English word from Medieval Latin word penetrātīvus. See penetrate, -ive
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.
Martin said his side were in control early on, but many would argue otherwise given Genk's quick start and the penetrative runs of Zakaria El Ouahdi, in particular.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2025
Unless there are recurring, penetrative rains in August, the family will sell half of its herd.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 1, 2021
Above all, alchemists strove to capture the fluid, penetrative properties of ‘mercury’.
From Nature ● Apr. 28, 2020
The skin can be used to test the toxicity or irritation potential of a substance, and the penetrative qualities of active ingredients in products like cosmetics.
From Reuters ● Nov. 13, 2019
As a student, a poet, and a man, he lived upon a lower plane of thought than Petrarch; and when he left the concrete for the abstract, his penetrative insight failed him.
From Renaissance in Italy: Italian Literature Part 1 (of 2) by John Addington Symonds
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