abusive

C2 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈbju.sɪv/ UK /əˈbjuː.sɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #12884

Meanings

1

adj
characterized by physical or psychological maltreatment

Abusive punishment.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

contumelious exploitive insultant

Opposites

abuselessnonabusiveunabusive

Word family

Derived forms abusivelyabusivenessabusivity

Related forms abuser

Etymology

First attested in the 1530s. From French abusif, from Latin abūsīvus, from abusus + -ivus (“-ive”). Equivalent to abuse + -ive.

abusif French abūsīvus Latin

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Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

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