# additive

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈæd.ɪ.tɪv/ · frequency rank #18,746

## Definitions
1. Pertaining to addition; that can be, or has been, added.
2. That is distributive over addition.
3. Whose operator is identified as addition.
4. Pertaining to chemical addition.
5. Of or pertaining to genes (or the interaction etc. of such genes) which govern the same trait and whose effects work together on the phenotype.

## Etymology
From Late Latin additivus, from the participial stem of Latin addere (“to add”).

## Easily confused with
- **adoptive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/additive-vs-adoptive)
- **addition** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/addition-vs-additive)
- **adaptive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/adaptive-vs-additive)
- **addictive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/addictive-vs-additive)

## Common misspellings (9)
`addiitve`, `additiev`, `additivve`, `addittive`, `additvie`, `addtiive`, `adidtive`, `aditive`, `daditive`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/additive