invective

¹in·vec·tive

adj \in-ˈvek-tiv\

Definition of INVECTIVE

: of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse

— in·vec·tive·ly adverb

— in·vec·tive·ness noun

Examples of INVECTIVE

1. <an overbearing, bullying boss who is fond of sending invective e-mails to long-suffering assistants>

Origin of INVECTIVE

Middle English invectif, from Middle French, from Latin invectivus, from invectus, past participle of invehere

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to INVECTIVE

Synonyms: contumelious, abusive, opprobrious, scurrile (or scurril), scurrilous, truculent, vitriolic, vituperative, vituperatory

Related Words: affronting, insulting, offending, offensive, outrageous, outraging; coarse, crude, dirty, filthy, foul, foulmouthed, gross, indecent, nasty, obscene, potty-mouthed, vulgar; contemptuous, disdainful, scornful; defamatory, libelous (or libellous), scandalous, slanderous; maligning, traducing, vilifying; hateful, malevolent, malicious, spiteful; immoderate, intemperate, unbridled, unrestrained

Near Antonyms: moderate, temperate; deferential, respectful; civil, courteous, gracious, mannerly, polite; discreet, judicious, tempered; encomiastic, laudative, laudatory, praiseful

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Rhymes with INVECTIVE

advective, affective, bijective, collective, connective, convective, corrective, defective, deflective, detective, directive, effective, elective, ejective, infective, inflective, injective, objective, perfective, perspective, projective, protective, reflective, respective, selective, subjective