contrastive

[ kuh n-tras-tiv ]
/ kənˈtræs tɪv /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR contrastive ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

tending to contrast; contrasting. contrastive colors.
studying or exhibiting the congruences and differences between two languages or dialects without reference to their origins: contrastive linguistics.

QUIZZES

HEED THE VOX POPULI, AND TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Test your memory on these verbal firecrackers from the week of June 29 to July 5!
Question 1 of 7
anchorite
a granular metamorphic rock.
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.
a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of contrastive

First recorded in 1810–20; contrast + -ive

OTHER WORDS FROM contrastive

con·tras·tive·ly, adverbun·con·tras·tive, adjectiveun·con·tras·tive·ly, adverb

Words nearby contrastive

contrast, contrast bath, contrast enema, contrast medium, contrast stain, contrastive, contrastive stress, contrasty, contrasuggestible, contrate, contravallation
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to contrastive

provisional, contrasting, disparate, distinct, distinctive, peculiar, offbeat, diverse, various, particular, distant, other, divergent, varied, diversified, differing, like, equivalent, relative, correlative