prescriptive

American  

[pri-skrip-tiv] / prɪˈskrɪp tɪv /

adjective

1. that prescribes; giving directions or injunctions.

   a prescriptive letter from an anxious father.

2. depending on or arising from effective legal prescription, as a right or title established by a long unchallenged tenure.

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prescriptive British  

/ prɪˈskrɪptɪv /

adjective

1. making or giving directions, rules, or injunctions

2. sanctioned by long-standing usage or custom

3. derived from or based upon legal prescription

   a prescriptive title

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Other Word Forms

• nonprescriptive adjective
• prescriptively adverb
• prescriptiveness noun

Etymology

Origin of prescriptive

First recorded in 1740–50; prescript + -ive, modeled on descriptive, destructive, etc.

Example Sentences

“We’re trying to find ways to do therapy so that it doesn’t feel as prescriptive, and that they don’t feel like they’re being told how to recover.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2025

Asked about the market’s rate-hike expectations, Macklem said he isn’t going to put rate policy on a prescriptive timeline.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 10, 2025

Coming from another breed of mom, this would be a prelude to prescriptive punishment.

From Salon • Oct. 16, 2025

The new generation of so-called “agentic AI” would be more prescriptive and could automatically turn those insights into actions such as adjusting prices, reordering products, or tailoring marketing messages, said Chen.

From Barron's • Oct. 11, 2025

Once you understand that prescriptive rules are the conventions of a specialized form of the language, most of the iptivist controversies evaporate.

From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker