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Synonyms

purposive

American  
[pur-puh-siv] / ˈpɜr pə sɪv /

adjective

  1. having, showing, or acting with a purpose, intention, or design.

  2. adapted to a purpose or end.

  3. serving some purpose.

  4. determined; resolute.

  5. of or characteristic of purpose.

purposive British  
/ ˈpɜːpəsɪv /

adjective

  1. relating to, having, or indicating conscious intention

  2. serving a purpose; useful

"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

Other Word Forms

  • nonpurposive adjective
  • nonpurposively adverb
  • nonpurposiveness noun
  • prepurposive adjective
  • purposively adverb
  • purposiveness noun
  • semipurposive adjective
  • semipurposively adverb
  • semipurposiveness noun
  • unpurposive adjective

Etymology

Origin of purposive

First recorded in 1850–55; purpose + -ive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.