restive
res·tive/ˈɹɛstɪv/adjective
restive is spelled R-E-S-T-I-V-E: 7 letters and 2 syllables (res·tive). It appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 61,481st most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, restive means “Impatient under delay, duress, or control” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in restive?
| Letters | 7: R-E-S-T-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: res·tive |
| In writing | about once in every 4 million words; the 61,481st most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
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 restive?
Restive appears about once in every 4 million words in written English, the 61,481st 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 restive?
- /ˈɹɛstɪv/
Restive has 2 syllables, split res·tive in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-restive.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with restive?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as restive.
Spelled with the same letters in another order: sievert.
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 restive
- more restive comparative
- most restive superlative
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does restive mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Impatient under delay, duress, or control.
- 2
Resistant to control; stubborn.
- 3
Refusing to move, especially in a forward direction.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Restive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| Spanish | impaciente , terco, recalcitrante |
| French | rétif |
| German | störrisch |
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 restive come from?
Modification of earlier restiff, from Middle English restyf, from Old French restif, from rester (“to stay, remain”), from Latin restō.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).