instructive

/ˌɪnˈstɹʌktɪv/in-STRUHK-tiv

Meaningtending to instruct

Common meaning: tending to instruct (inferred)

inin, into; (before adjectives) not
structto heap up; to buildLewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), p. 1767 · scan
iveadjective ending: tending to

‘in, into’ + ‘to heap up’ → instructive

Journey through time

Latininstruere‘to build in, equip’source
Englishinstruct‘to teach, or give orders’
Englishformed in English from instructinstructive‘tending to instruct (inferred)’ · today

Sources & notes

Inferred source: no dictionary we use has an entry for this exact word. Its history is worked out from closely related, listed words in the same family, and we are trusting that link, so bear that in mind. Inferred meaning: tending to instruct. It can be inferred from any of: instruct.

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Formed in English from instruct + -ive (inferred: this exact word is not listed in our dictionaries).

Roots

struō, strūxī, strūctum Latin “to heap up; to build”

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