additive

1 of 2

adjective

ad·​di·​tive ˈa-də-tiv 

1

: of, relating to, or characterized by addition

an additive process

2

: produced by addition

3

: characterized by, being, or producing effects (such as drug responses or gene products) that when the causative factors act together are the sum of their individual effects

additively adverb

additivity

ˌa-də-ˈti-və-tē 

noun

additive

2 of 2

noun

: a substance added to another in relatively small amounts to effect a desired change in properties

food additives

Synonyms

Adjective

• accretive
• accumulative
• conglomerative
• cumulative
• incremental

Examples of additive in a Sentence

Adjective

certain drugs have additive effects when taken in conjunction with each other that one doesn't see when any one is used alone

Noun

a gasoline additive to reduce pollution

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Interactions Bitter melon might interact with the following medications: Diabetes medications: Bitter melon might lower your blood sugar, which may have additive effects on your diabetes medication, such as insulin.5 If your blood sugar is too low, your symptoms may include tremors and sweating. —Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 4 June 2025

French researchers from multiple universities, including the Nutritional Epidemiology Research Team at Inserm, examined the link between additive mixtures and the onset of type 2 diabetes by analyzing the health data of more than 100,000 adults in the French NutriNet-Sante cohort. —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 16 Apr. 2025

Noun

Magnesium oil skin formulations have different components and additives, which can result in different effects. —Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 18 June 2025

The Feed Bye Bye, Dyes: Jell-O, Kool-Aid and Crystal Light and the rest of Kraft Heinz’s products will be rid of Red Dye 40 and all other chemical additives by the end of 2027, the company announced on Tuesday. —Chloe Sorvino, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

borrowed from Late Latin additīvus, from Latin additus (past participle of addere "to add") + -īvus -ive

Noun

derivative of additive entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1648, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1901, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing additive

• additive identity
• additive inverse
• additive manufacturing

Kids Definition

additive

1 of 2 adjective

ad·​di·​tive ˈad-ət-iv 

: relating to or produced by addition

additively adverb

additive

2 of 2 noun

: a substance added to another in small amounts to give or improve desirable qualities or decrease unwanted qualities

a gasoline additive

additives which color, flavor, or preserve food

Medical Definition

additive

1 of 2 adjective

ad·​di·​tive ˈad-ət-iv 

: having or relating to a value or effect that is the sum of individual values or effects: as

a

: relating to the sum of the pharmacological responses produced by the concurrent administration of two or more drugs capable of producing the same kind of effect

b

: having a genetic effect that is the sum of the individual effects

additively adverb

additivity

ˌad-ə-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

noun

plural additivities

additive

2 of 2 noun

: a substance added to another in relatively small amounts to effect a desired change in properties

especially : an agent added to a foodstuff to improve color, flavor, texture, or keeping qualities