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contrastive

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Linguistics
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con⋅tras⋅tive

  [kuhn-tras-tiv]
Use contrastive in a Sentence
–adjective
1. tending to contrast; contrasting. contrastive colors.
2. studying or exhibiting the congruences and differences between two languages or dialects without reference to their origins: contrastive linguistics.
Origin:
1810–20; contrast + -ive

Related forms:
con⋅tras⋅tive⋅ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Linguistics
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con·tras·tive   (kən-trās'tĭv)   
adj.  

  1. Containing or forming a contrast; contrasting.

  2. Linguistics

    1. Capable of distinguishing meaning; being in opposition: a phonological feature that is contrastive in one language but not in another.

    2. Pertaining to the study of structural contrasts: contrastive analysis.

con·tras'tive·ly adv., con·tras'tive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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