subtractive

American  

[suhb-trak-tiv] / səbˈtræk tɪv /

adjective

1. tending to subtract; having power to subtract.

2. Mathematics. (of a quantity) that is to be subtracted; having the minus sign (−).

---

subtractive British  

/ səbˈtræktɪv /

adjective

1. able or tending to remove or subtract

2. indicating or requiring subtraction; having a minus sign

   –x is a subtractive quantity

---

subtractive Scientific  

/ səb-trăk′tĭv /

1. Relating to the production of color by the blocking or removal of varying wavelengths, as with colored filters, or by the mixing of pigments that absorb certain wavelengths and reflect others.

2. ◆ The subtractive primaries cyan, magenta, and yellow are those colors whose wavelengths can be filtered or absorbed in different proportions to produce all other colors.

3. Compare additive See Note at color

4. Marked by or involving subtraction.

---

Other Word Forms

• nonsubtractive adjective
• nonsubtractively adverb
• unsubtractive adjective

Etymology

Origin of subtractive

First recorded in 1680–90; subtract + -ive

Example Sentences

While many artists at Felix experiment with their surfaces through additive processes, others use a subtractive approach to enliven their work.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 26, 2026

One I keep returning to is about additive versus subtractive solutions.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 11, 2024

Traditional methods of wood shaping are subtractive and tend to produce large amounts of waste, which is usually discarded or recycled into materials like fuel, mulch, and animal bedding.

From Science Magazine • Mar. 21, 2024

It’s a subtractive primary color, which means it never really gets its due.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 2, 2022

It is a subtractive process that starts with a solid block, usually stone, which is highly resistant to the sculptor’s chisel.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson