Dictionary Thesaurus Word Dynamo Quotes Reference Translator Spanish

expressive

[ik-spres-iv]

adjective

full of expression; meaningful: an expressive shrug.

serving to express; indicative of power to express: a look expressive of gratitude.

of, pertaining to, or concerned with expression: Dance is a highly expressive art.

Sociology. (of a crowd or group) engaging in nonpurposeful activity of an expressive and often rhythmic nature, as weeping, dancing, or shouting. Compare active (def. 15), orgiastic (def. 2).

Linguistics. of or pertaining to forms in which sounds denote a semantic field directly and nonarbitrarily, through sound symbolism based, to some degree, on synesthesia, as observable in onomatopoeia, rhyming and gradational compounds, and emotionally charged words such as hypocoristics and pejoratives.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French; see express, -ive

Related forms

ex·pres·sive·ly, adverb

ex·pres·sive·ness, noun

an·ti·ex·pres·sive, adjective

an·ti·ex·pres·sive·ly, adverb

an·ti·ex·pres·sive·ness, noun

EXPAND

non·ex·pres·sive, adjective

non·ex·pres·sive·ly, adverb

non·ex·pres·sive·ness, noun

o·ver·ex·pres·sive, adjective

o·ver·ex·pres·sive·ly, adverb

o·ver·ex·pres·sive·ness, noun

pre·ex·pres·sive, adjective

su·per·ex·pres·sive, adjective

su·per·ex·pres·sive·ly, adverb

su·per·ex·pres·sive·ness, noun

COLLAPSE

Synonyms
1, 2. Expressive, meaningful, significant, suggestive imply the conveying of a thought, indicating an attitude of mind, or the like, by words or otherwise. Expressive suggests conveying, or being capable of conveying, a thought, intention, emotion, etc., in an effective or vivid manner: an expressive gesture. Meaningful and significant imply an underlying and unexpressed thought whose existence is plainly shown although its precise nature is left to conjecture. Meaningful implies a secret and intimate understanding between the persons involved: Meaningful looks passed between them. Significant suggests conveying important or hidden meaning: On hearing this statement, he gave the officers a significant glance. Suggestive implies an indirect or covert conveying of a meaning, sometimes mentally stimulating, sometimes verging on impropriety or indecency: a suggestive story or remark. See also eloquent.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source

Link To expressive

:10

:09

:08

:07

:06

:05

:04

:03

:02

:01

Expressive is always a great word to know.

So is quincunx. Does it mean:

an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.

the offspring of a zebra and a donkey.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

Example Sentences

At its elite level, twirling is an enterprise that is both aesthetically expressive and indisputably athletic.

And unfortunately expressive of how academia has lost much of it's respect within substantial elements of our society.

It is regarded today as the apogee of sensual, expressive painting, possessing an abstract.

EXPAND

At its elite level, twirling is an enterprise that is both aesthetically expressive and indisputably athletic.

And unfortunately expressive of how academia has lost much of it's respect within substantial elements of our society.

It is regarded today as the apogee of sensual, expressive painting, possessing an abstract.

Kathakali is an expressive dance form requiring a highly developed language of gesture.

The power of his vivid, expressive imagery solicits a breath-taking effect, especially in a gallery.

Whether eloquent and expressive or short and sweet, your text should convey the mood of the wedding as well as the.

My son is on the autism spectrum and has a severe receptive and expressive language delay.

They are adapting the latest communicative means to their own expressive ends.

Offers a phenomenological perspective on stance in musical and other forms of expressive culture.

More roots, more hormones, and more expressive genes.

His expressive voice adds to the spectrum of musical elements at his command.

In my observations, violinists invest incredible amounts of time and effort perfecting refined expressive techniques.

The question is whether this degree of expressive freedom will penetrate into the real world.

The cadenzas were potent vehicles for her intensity and expressive gifts.

Claudel's letters are particularly moving when contrasted with her expressive sculptures that evoke both pain and joy.

Jill takes advantage of this relationship and showcases the expressive nature of these beasts.

Munch developed a psychologically charged and expressive style to transmit emotional sensation.

Rebirth of lively expressive art, which is sincere and honest and provoking observers' deep emotional experience.

Yet the performance emphasized equality, a sharing of labor for common expressive cause.

How clear they are, how expressive they are vocally and physically-the parameters are much wider for them than our naturalism.

Women filmmakers present an expressive collection of works from a distinct perspective that shows what matters to them.

The show's dinosaurs are certainly expressive enough to tell their own.

George has a way of being so expressive with the stories he wants to tell.

Subcompacts that were once cute or podlike, or both, now have taut character lines and expressive faces.

They have broad, dark-colored faces with wide, expressive eyes.

Eyes of blue/gray/green rest between expressive eyebrows and trademark dimples.

And all of them exploit this medium for its expressive rather than functional potential.

They were really great with letting me be expressive with my ideas.

But a newer style has blossomed in recent decades, what is called expressive individualism.

About ten years old, he had wide, expressive features and the build of a junior wrestling champion.

Typeface design became something of an expressive art.

He has a narrow face and curly hair, which he likes to gel, and expressive eyes canopied with dark brows.

Nykvist later said, was one of the first films in which he deliberately set out to explore the expressive qualities of light.

Tudor, one of the company's choreographers and teachers, who revealed ballet to her as an expressive art.

COLLAPSE

Collins

World English Dictionary

expressive (ɪkˈsprɛsɪv)

—*adj* (foll by of)
1.	of, involving, or full of expression
2.	indicative or suggestive (of): a look expressive of love
3.	having a particular meaning, feeling, or force; significant

ex'pressively

—*adv*

ex'pressiveness

—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

expressive

c.1400, "tending to press out," Fr. expressif, from stem of L. exprimere (see express (v.)). Meaning "full of expression" is from late 17c. Related: Expressively.

Word Dynamo By Dictionary.com

Searching for expressive?
How many words do you actually know?

FIND OUT

attitude barf benign bingle blat blizzard

Matching Quote

"Money indeed may be considered as the most universal and expressive of all languages. For gold and silver coins are no more money when not in the actual process of being voluntarily used in purchase, than words not so in use are language. Pounds, shillings, and pence are recognized covenanted tokens, the outward and visible signs of an inward and spiritual purchasing power, but till in actual use they are only potential money, as the symbols of language, whatever they may be, are only potential language till they are passing between two minds. It is the power and will to apply the symbols that alone gives life to money, and as long as they are in abeyance, the money is in abeyance also; the coins may be safe in one's pocket, but they are as dead as a log till they begin to burn in it, and so are our words till they begin to burn within us."

-Samuel Butler

Partners:Word Bloglines Citysearch The Daily Beast Ask Answers Ask Kids Life123 Sendori Thesaurus

About Privacy Policy Terms of Use API Careers Advertise with Us Contact Us Help