exploitative
- taking unfair or unethical advantage of a person, group, or situation for the purpose of profit, comfort, or advancement: Her success attracted too many exploitative relatives to count.
Origin of exploitative
exploit2
- to utilize, especially for profit; turn to practical account: to exploit a business opportunity.
- to use selfishly for one's own ends: employers who exploit their workers.
- to advance or further through exploitation; promote: He exploited his new movie through a series of guest appearances.
- a flaw in hardware or software that is vulnerable to hacking or other cyberattacks.
- a piece of software that takes advantage of such a flaw to compromise a computer system or network.
- (in a video game) the use of a bug or flaw in game design to a player’s advantage or to the disadvantage of other players.
Origin of exploit2
Related Words
credulousdupablegreengullibleinnocentnaivesusceptibletrustingunsophisticatedunsuspectingexploitativeexploitiveavailablefeasiblefitfunctionalhelpfuloperableusefulworkingExamples from the Web for exploitive
Contemporary Examples
For the anti-Semite every rich Jew is exploitive, every poor Jew a burden on society.
Historical Examples
Some of these, however, were exploitive and in contradiction to the faith which he professed.
Herein is LoveReuel L. Howe
Poverty and the greater portion of crime can be traced directly to this exploitive system.
exploit
- a notable deed or feat, esp one that is noble or heroic
- to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically or unjustly for one's own ends
- to make the best use ofto exploit natural resources
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for exploitive
exploit
n.
late 14c., "outcome of an action," from Old French esploit (12c.), a very common word, used in senses of "action, deed, profit, achievement," from Latin explicitum "a thing settled, ended, displayed," neuter of explicitus, past participle of explicare "unfold" (see explicit).
Meaning "feat, achievement" is c.1400. Sense evolution is from "unfolding" to "bringing out" to "having advantage" to "achievement." Related: Exploits.
exploit
v.
c.1400 espleiten, esploiten "to accomplish, achieve, fulfill," from Old French esploitier, espleiter, from esploit (see exploit (n.)).
The sense of "use selfishly" first recorded 1838, from French, perhaps extended from use of the word with reference to mines, etc. (cf. exploitation). Related: Exploited; exploiting. As an adjective form, exploitative (1882) is from French; exploitive (by 1859) appears to be a native formation.