Affrontive

/əˈfrʌntɪv/ adjective

Definition

Having the quality or tendency to insult or offend; serving as an affront.

Etymology

Affront + -ive (suffix meaning 'tending to' or 'characterized by'). Similar to 'offensive,' 'defensive,' and 'passive,' the '-ive' suffix creates adjectives describing inherent qualities.

Kelly Says

The '-ive' suffix is Latin-based and very formal—words like 'affrontive,' 'offensive,' and 'defensive' sound more elevated and technical than their simpler counterparts, which is why 'affrontive' is rarely used today!

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