restorative

American  

[ri-stawr-uh-tiv, -stohr-] / rɪˈstɔr ə tɪv, -ˈstoʊr- /

adjective

1. serving to restore; pertaining to restoration.

2. capable of renewing health or strength.

---

noun

• restoratives
  plural

1. a restorative agent, means, or the like.

2. a means of restoring a person to consciousness.

   Smelling salts serve as a restorative.

restorative British  

/ rɪˈstɒrətɪv /

adjective

1. tending to revive or renew health, spirits, etc

---

noun

1. anything that restores or revives, esp a drug or agent that promotes health or strength

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonrestorative
  adjective
• unrestorative
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• restoratives
  plural

Etymology

Origin of restorative

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English restoratif (adjective and noun), from Middle French restauratif, from Latin restaurāt(us) (past participle of restaurāre “to rebuild, repair”; see restore) + Middle French -if -ive

Explanation

Restorative things give you energy or make you feel better. Your dad might have a favorite restorative chicken soup he makes you whenever you have a cold. Antibiotics can be restorative to a patient with an infection, and a good night's sleep is almost always restorative, no matter how tired you are. If something brings you back to life or helps you recover, it's restorative. Sometimes people use this word as a noun, to mean "medicine for strength." Restorative has a Latin root, restaurare, "repair, rebuild, or renew."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restorative restoratives

The potential for conflict bursts into the open at a seaside home that has been in Ye-ji’s husband’s family for years, where the group has decamped for a supposedly restorative holiday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 6, 2026

Here is how restorative justice generally worked in the two schools I taught at: A student would disrupt class, shouting at me or throwing objects at other students.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Together, the two methods allowed researchers to determine precisely when the animals were awake, in deep restorative sleep or in dreaming sleep.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

The loss of this restorative period could therefore create a harmful cycle.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 20, 2026

“She does want to have your son referred to our community justice center and to have him engage in a restorative justice process. However, your son has to agree to participate.”

From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz

I call them restoratives, as they replenish and nourish me.

From New York Times ● Jan. 21, 2022

Chains such as Lush, the U.K.-based company with 200 U.S. stores, and Ulta Beauty, which has 1,100 stores, have both benefited from rising demand for moderately priced cosmetics, bath gels and other personal restoratives.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2020

Subsequently he was removed to Wagner’s hotel, where restoratives were administered by the attending physician.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2019

Barnips Lozenges, Coltsfoot Rock, and Teddy Gray's Herbal Tablets are among the old-fashioned restoratives still occupying a place in our medicine cabinets.

From BBC ● Dec. 26, 2016

The interrogation, therefore, was postponed for a few days, during which the chirurgeon constantly visited her, and by his care, and the restoratives she was compelled to take, she rapidly regained her strength.

From Guy Fawkes or The Gunpowder Treason by William Harrison Ainsworth