depressive

US /dɪˈprɛsɪv/ UK /dɪˈpɹɛsɪv/ See IPA manual

Freq #30517

Meanings

1

adj
Relating to or showing depression; gloomy and low in spirit.

He went through a depressive period after losing his job.
2

noun
A person who suffers from depression.

As a lifelong depressive, she relied on therapy and support from friends.
3

adj
Causing low spirits; dispiriting.

The grey, rainy weather had a depressive effect on the whole office.

Thesaurus

Word family

Forms depressives

Derived forms antidepressiveanxiodepressivecardiodepressivedepressivelydepressivenessdepressivityimmunodepressivemanic-depressiveneurodepressivenondepressiveoverdepressivepostdepressive

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

depressive disorder
a mental health condition involving persistent depression and reduced ability to enjoy things

Adjective + noun

Etymology

From French dépressif or Medieval Latin depressivus. By surface analysis, depress + -ive.

dépressif French depressivus la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# depressive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /dɪˈprɛsɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /dɪˈpɹɛsɪv/
**Frequency rank:** 30517

## Meanings
1. Relating to or showing depression; gloomy and low in spirit.
2. A person who suffers from depression.
3. Causing low spirits; dispiriting.

## Examples
- He went through a depressive period after losing his job.
- As a lifelong depressive, she relied on therapy and support from friends.
- The grey, rainy weather had a depressive effect on the whole office.

## Derived Forms
- antidepressive
- anxiodepressive
- cardiodepressive
- depressively
- depressiveness
- depressivity
- immunodepressive
- manic-depressive
- neurodepressive
- nondepressive
- overdepressive
- postdepressive

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: dépressif
- Root: depressivus

## Etymology
From French dépressif or Medieval Latin depressivus. By surface analysis, depress + -ive.

## AI Etymology
Depressive is from French dépressif or Medieval Latin depressivus. By surface analysis, depress + -ive. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern nominal form is built from the named base and affix. Important recorded forms include dépressif (French) and depressivus (la-med). Current senses include relating to or showing depression; gloomy and low in spirit, a person who suffers from depression, and causing low spirits; dispiriting. The wider family includes derived forms such as antidepressive, anxiodepressive, cardiodepressive, depressively, and depressiveness.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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