Etymology
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propulsive (adj.)

1640s, "having the power or tendency to drive off or away," a sense now obsolete, from propuls-, past-participle stem of Latin propellere "to propel" (see propel) + -ive. The meaning "tending or having power to drive onward or forward" is from 1758.

Entries linking to propulsive

propel (v.)

mid-15c., propellen, "to drive away, expel," from Latin propellere "push forward, drive forward, drive forth; move, impel," from pro "forward" (see pro-) + pellere "to push, drive" (from PIE root *pel- (5) "to thrust, strike, drive"). Meaning "to drive onward, cause to move forward" is from 1650s. Related: Propelled; propelling.

-ive 

word-forming element making adjectives from verbs, meaning "pertaining to, tending to; doing, serving to do," in some cases from Old French -if, but usually directly from Latin adjectival suffix -ivus (source also of Italian and Spanish -ivo). In some words borrowed from French at an early date it has been reduced to -y (as in hasty, tardy).

updated on December 16, 2020

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Dictionary entries near propulsive

proprietor

propriety

proprioceptor

props

propulsion

propulsive

prorate

proration

prorogue

pros-

prosaic

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