missive

C2+ Topic:Communication

US /ˈmɪsɪv/ UK /ˈmɪsɪv/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a written message or letter, especially a formal one

He received a stern missive from the board demanding an explanation.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a written message or... letter message note dispatch communication epistle

Word family

Related forms missile mission missionary dismiss emit

Simplified etymology

Missive, recorded from late Middle English, derives ultimately from Latin mittere, “to send” or “dismiss.” It belongs to the same Latin word family as message and the religious sense of Mass.

Etymology

From Medieval Latin missiva (littera) ('(letter) sent'), from Latin missus, past participle of mittere ('to send').

missivus Latin mittere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Communication Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# missive

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɪsɪv/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɪsɪv/

## Meanings
1. a written message or letter, especially a formal one

## Examples
- He received a stern missive from the board demanding an explanation.

## Synonyms
- letter
- message
- note
- dispatch
- communication
- epistle

## Related Forms
- missile
- mission
- missionary
- dismiss
- emit

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: missivus
- Root: mittere - to send

## Etymology
From Medieval Latin missiva (littera) ('(letter) sent'), from Latin missus, past participle of mittere ('to send').

## AI Etymology
Missive comes from Medieval Latin missiva (littera) ('(letter) sent'), from Latin missus, past participle of mittere ('to send'). The etymological trail includes Latin missivus, Latin mittere. The same word family includes missile, mission, missionary, dismiss, emit. Its current noun use means "a written message or letter, especially a formal one".

## Topics
- Communication
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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