isolative [ahy -suh -ley-tiv, is -uh -]
Word Origin
noting a change in part of the sound of a word made independently of the phonetic environment of that part. Show More
Origin of isolative First recorded in
1885–90; isolate +
-ive Related forms un·i·so·la·tive , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
British Dictionary definitions for isolative (of a sound change) occurring in all linguistic environments, as the change of Middle English / iː / to Modern English / aɪ /, as in time Compare combinative (def. 2) of, relating to, or concerned with isolation Show More
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
