constructive

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle French constructif.

Morphologically construct +‎ -ive.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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constructive (comparative more constructive, superlative most constructive)

  1. Relating to or causing construction.
  2. Carefully considered and meant to be helpful.
  3. Serving a useful purpose.
  4. (law) Imputed by law; created to give legal effect to something for equitable reasons, as with constructive notice or a constructive trust.
  5. Not direct or expressed, but inferred.
    • 1978, Richard Nixon, “The Presidency 1973-1974”, in RN: the Memoirs of Richard Nixon[1], Grosset & Dunlap, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 1077:
      A President's power begins slipping away the moment it is known that he is going to leave: I had seen that in 1952, in 1960, in 1968. On the eve of my resignation I knew that my role was already a symbolic one, and that Gerald Ford's was now the constructive one. My telephone calls and meetings and decisions were now parts of a prescribed ritual aimed at making peace with the past; his calls, his meetings, and his decisions were already the ones that would shape America's future.

Synonyms

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Antonyms

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  • (antonym(s) of relating to or causing construction): destructive
  • (antonym(s) of carefully considered and meant to be helpful): destructive

Derived terms

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Translations

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French

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Pronunciation

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Adjective

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constructive

  1. feminine singular of constructif