-ive

Meaning

An adjective suffix signifying relating or belonging to, of the nature of, tending to, or serving to; as: affirmative, active, conclusive, corrective, diminutive.

Translations

-iv

-ivus

-ieve

-ief

-iva

-ivo

-iva

-ivo

-if

-ivo

-iva

-ive

-ivae

-ivi

-iva

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ɪv/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: -yf

In summary

From Middle English -yf, from Anglo-Norman -if from Latin -īvus. Until the fourteenth century, all Middle English loanwords from Anglo-Norman ended in -if (compare actif, natif, sensitif, pensif etc.). Under the influence of literary Neo-Latin, both languages introduced the form -ive. Those forms that have not been replaced were subsequently changed to end in -y (compare hasty, from hastif, jolly, from jolif etc.).
Like the Latin suffix -iō (genitive -iōnis), the Latin suffix -ivus is appended to the perfect passive participle to form an adjective of action.