emotive

[ ih-moh-tiv ]

/ ɪˈmoʊ tɪv /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR emotive ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

characterized by or pertaining to emotion: the emotive and rational capacities of humankind.

productive of or directed toward the emotions: Artistic distortion is often an emotive use of form.

Nearby words

emotionalism, emotionalist, emotionality, emotionalize, emotionally correct, emotive, emotive meaning, emotivism, emp, emp., empale

Origin of emotive

First recorded in 1725–35; emot(ion) + -ive

Related forms

e·mo·tive·ly, adverbe·mo·tive·ness, e·mo·tiv·i·ty

[ee-moh-tiv-i-tee, ih-moh-] /ˌi moʊˈtɪv ɪ ti, ɪ moʊ-/, nounhy·per·e·mo·tive, adjectivehy·per·e·mo·tive·ly, adverb

hy·per·e·mo·tive·ness, nounhy·per·e·mo·tiv·i·ty, nounnon·e·mo·tive, adjectivenon·e·mo·tive·ly, adverbnon·e·mo·tive·ness, nounun·e·mo·tive, adjectiveun·e·mo·tive·ly, adverbun·e·mo·tive·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for emotive

Emotive words and evocative phrases give language its power.
How To Shrink The Pro-Israel Tent|Brent E. Sasley|April 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
It gets us over that initial, high-stakes moment of emotive acclamation, and skips straight to the conversation.
Zany, Cute, Interesting: What the Words We Use Say About Us|Benjamin Lytal|October 23, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Kawakubo is not a designer who excels at communicating joy—at least not the emotive version of it.
Paris Fall 2012 Fashion Week: Haider Ackermann, Lanvin, and Comme des Garçons|Robin Givhan|March 4, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Ted Wells, an emotive, powerful giant of a lawyer, is already achieving results for the embattled governor of New York.
The Scandal Guru|Lloyd Grove|March 11, 2010|DAILY BEAST

Mental, emotive, and power characteristics are signified by various tone pitches.
Certain Success|Norval A. Hawkins
Now my life was like a garden in the emotive torpor of spring; now my life was like a flower conscious of the light.
Confessions of a Young Man|George Moore
He admits your figures to his conscious belief more readily than he would credit them if spoken in an emotive or power tone.
Certain Success|Norval A. Hawkins
It is an emotive manifestation that stirs one's whole nature and vitalizes every part of the body.
Vitality Supreme|Bernarr Macfadden
Employ the emotive tone to convey ideas of your truthfulness and honor.
Certain Success|Norval A. Hawkins

British Dictionary definitions for emotive

emotive

/ (ɪˈməʊtɪv) /

adjective

tending or designed to arouse emotion

of or characterized by emotion

Derived Forms

emotively, adverbemotiveness or emotivity, noun

usage

Emotional is preferred to emotive when describing a display of emotion: he was given an emotional (not emotive) welcome

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