adj
noun
Freq #37002
Meanings
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1
adj
intended to correct a fault, problem, or harmful tendency
The regulator ordered corrective action after the safety inspection.
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2
adj
intended to improve behavior through discipline
The school described the meeting as corrective rather than punitive.
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3
noun
a remedy or measure that counteracts an error, imbalance, or undesirable condition
A short break can be a useful corrective to hours of intense concentration.
Thesaurus
Synonyms
Word family
Derived forms
correctively
Etymology
Borrowed from French correctif and also analyzable as correct + -ive. Correct ultimately comes from Latin corrigere, meaning to make straight or set right; corrective names something that performs that restoring function.