## English

### Etymology

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

### Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA(key): /ˈæ.dɪ.tɪv/
• (US) IPA(key): /ˈæ.də.tɪv/, [ˈæ.ɾə.tɪv], [ˈæ.ɾə.ɾɪv]

1. (mathematics) pertaining to addition; that can be, or has been, added
2. (mathematics, of a function, etc.) distributive over addition
Matrix multiplication is additive in that ${\displaystyle M{\vec {v}}+M{\vec {w}}=M({\vec {v}}+{\vec {w}})}$.
3. (algebra) having addition as an operator
It is natural to look at a finite cyclic group as an additive group.
4. (chemistry) pertaining to chemical addition
5. (genetics) describing genes (or the interaction etc. of such genes) which govern the same trait and whose effects work together on the phenotype

### Noun

1. A substance added to another substance or product for its ability to alter its properties
Oil may be used as an additive in gasoline to improve the lubrication of a small engine.
2. (grammar) a word or phrase that adds something, such as also, even, or nor