invasive
in·vas·ive/ɪnˈveɪsɪv/adjective, noun
invasive is spelled I-N-V-A-S-I-V-E: 8 letters and 3 syllables (in·vas·ive). It appears 4.9 times per million words in written English, the 11,373rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, invasive means “Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in invasive?
| Letters | 8: I-N-V-A-S-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3: in·vas·ive |
| In writing | 4.9 times per million words; the 11,373rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is invasive?
Invasive appears 4.9 times per million words in written English, the 11,373rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce invasive?
- US /ɪnˈveɪsɪv/
- US /-zɪv/
Invasive has 3 syllables, split in·vas·ive in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-invasive.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with invasive?
2 words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as invasive from its last stressed vowel (/eɪsɪv/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of invasive
- more invasive comparative
- most invasive superlative
- invasives plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does invasive mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Of or pertaining to invasion; offensive.
- 2
That invades a foreign country using military force; also, militarily aggressive.
- 3
Intrusive on one's privacy, rights, sphere of activity, etc.
- 4
Originating externally.
- 5
Of an organism: that grows (especially uncontrollably) in environments which do not harbour natural enemies, often to the detriment of native species or of food or garden flora and fauna.
an invasive species
- 6
Of a procedure: involving the entry of an instrument into part of the body.
- 7
Of a carcinoma or other abnormal growth: that invades healthy tissue, especially rapidly.
noun
- 1
An invasive organism, such as an animal or plant.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Invasive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | d'invasion , invasif , envahissant |
| Portuguese | invasor , invasivo |
| Spanish | invasivo |
| German | invasiv |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does invasive come from?
The adjective is derived from Middle English invasif (“of a weapon: offensive”), from Middle French invasif, Old French invasif (“invasive”) (modern French invasif), from Medieval Latin invāsīvus, from Latin invāsus (“entered; invaded”) + -īvus (suffix forming adjectives). Invāsus is the perfect passive participle of invādō (“to enter; to invade”), from in- (prefix meaning ‘in, inside’) + vādō (“to go; to rush; to walk”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂dʰ- (“to go, proceed; to pass, traverse”)). The noun is derived from the adjective.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).