Serving to divert, distract, or entertain; having the quality of turning attention away.
From 'divert' + the suffix '-ive' (making adjectives that denote a quality or characteristic). 'Divert' comes from Latin 'divertere' (to turn aside).
This is a rare, old-fashioned adjective that describes anything that successfully pulls your attention elsewhere—think of a divertive tactic in chess or a divertive joke in an awkward conversation.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.