Meaning

4 senses
  1. That can or does physically penetrate something; piercing, penetrating.

    tending to penetrate; having the power of entering or piercing

  2. Displaying insight or discrimination; acute; penetrating.

  3. That can penetrate opposition defences.

  4. Pertaining to sexual activity involving penetration by the penis (or similar object).

Examples

2 sentences
  1. Sex doesn't have to be penetrative.

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  2. Muons are charged particles similar to electrons, and scientists say they are "highly penetrative."

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Origin

From Middle English penetratyve, penetratif, from Medieval Latin penetrativus, from (the p

From Middle English penetratyve, penetratif, from Medieval Latin penetrativus, from (the participle stem of) Latin penetrāre (“to penetrate”).

Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Forms

more penetrative, most penetrative
Comparativemore penetrative Lesson
Superlativemost penetrative Lesson

regular

Synonyms

8 synonyms
Close in meaning

Antonyms

1 antonyms

Word family

6 related words

See also

neighbours in the dictionary
penetrative — meaning, examples, forms, synonyms | Krumeto