additive

American  

[ad-i-tiv] / ˈæd ɪ tɪv /

noun

1. something that is added, as one substance to another, to alter or improve the general quality or to counteract undesirable properties.

   an additive that thins paint.

2. Nutrition.

   1. Also called food additive.  a substance added directly to food during processing, as for preservation, coloring, or stabilization.

   2. something that becomes part of food or affects it as a result of packaging or processing, as debris or radiation.

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adjective

1. characterized or produced by addition; cumulative.

   an additive process.

2. Mathematics. (of a function) having the property that the function of the union or sum of two quantities is equal to the sum of the functional values of each quantity; linear.

additive British  

/ ˈædɪtɪv /

adjective

1. characterized or produced by addition; cumulative

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noun

1. any substance added to something to improve it, prevent deterioration, etc

2. short for food additive

additive Scientific  

/ ăd′ĭ-tĭv /

1. A substance added in small amounts to something else to improve, strengthen, or otherwise alter it. Additives are used for a variety of reasons. They are added to food, for example, to enhance taste or color or to prevent spoilage. They are added to gasoline to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, and to plastics to enhance molding capability.

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1. Relating to the production of color by the mixing of light rays of varying wavelengths.

2. ◆ The additive primaries red, green, and blue are those colors whose wavelengths can be mixed in different proportions to produce all other spectral colors.

3. Compare subtractive See Note at color

4. Mathematics Marked by, produced by, or involving addition.

Other Word Forms

• additively adverb
• interadditive adjective
• subadditive adjective
• subadditively adverb

Etymology

Origin of additive

From the Late Latin word additīvus, dating back to 1690–1700. See additament, -ive

Explanation

An additive is an extra substance that's added to something in order to improve it in some way. Many additives are used to preserve or flavor food. The noun additive means "something that is added," from the Latin addere, "add to or attach." Things like gasoline, medicine, and livestock feed all contain various chemical additives that make them safer or more efficient. In math, additive is often used as an adjective, meaning "having to do with addition."

Example Sentences

The study examined additive manufacturing using hot-wire laser irradiation and tested two different fabrication strategies.

From Science Daily • Mar. 13, 2026

While many artists at Felix experiment with their surfaces through additive processes, others use a subtractive approach to enliven their work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

He noted that Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI “is not nearly as additive as it once was” either.

From Barron's • Feb. 5, 2026

Defense and systems revenue edged up 2%, as price and customer mix offset a 7% drop in deliveries, while propulsion and additive technologies revenue increased 33%.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026

Mom casually refers to her revolutionary soil additive.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• preservative
• supplement