Dictionary
Thesaurus
Reference
Translate
Web
Related Searches
on Ask.com
Nearby Entries
invasive - 5 dictionary results

in⋅va⋅sive

   [in-vey-siv]
–adjective
1. characterized by or involving invasion; offensive: invasive war.
2. invading, or tending to invade; intrusive.
3. Medicine/Medical. requiring the entry of a needle, catheter, or other instrument into a part of the body, esp. in a diagnostic procedure, as a biopsy.
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < ML invāsīvus. See invasion, -ive
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
Cite This Source
in·va·sive     (ĭn-vā'sĭv)  Pronunciation Key 
adj.  
  1. Of, engaging in, or given to armed aggression: an invasive military force.
  2. Marked by the tendency to spread, especially into healthy tissue: an invasive carcinoma.
  3. Of or relating to a medical procedure in which a part of the body is entered, as by puncture or incision.
  4. Tending to intrude or encroach, as upon privacy.


[Middle English, from Old French invasif, from Medieval Latin invāsīvus, from Latin invāsus, past participle of invādere, to invade; see invade.]

in·va'sive·ly adv., in·va'sive·ness n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
invasive

adjective
1. relating to a technique in which the body is entered by puncture or incision [ant: noninvasive] 
2. marked by a tendency to spread especially into healthy tissue; "invasive cancer cells" [ant: confined] 
3. involving invasion or aggressive attack; "invasive war" [syn: incursive] 
4. gradually intrusive without right or permission; "we moved back from the encroaching tide"; "invasive tourists"; "trespassing hunters" [syn: encroaching] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
Cite This Source
invasive   (ĭn-vā'sĭv)  Pronunciation Key 
    1. Relating to a disease or condition that has a tendency to spread, especially a malignant cancer that spreads into healthy tissue.
    2. Relating to a medical procedure in which a part of the body is entered, as by puncture or incision.
  2. Not native to and tending to spread widely in a habitat or environment. Invasive species often have few natural predators or other biological controls in their new environment. Although not always considered harmful to an environment, invasive species can become agricultural or ecological pests and can displace native species from their habitats. Invasive species are often introduced to an environment unintentionally, as the zebra mussel was to the Great Lakes, but are sometimes introduced for a purpose, as kudzu was to the southern US, where it was originally planted to control erosion.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source

Invasive

In*va"sive\, a. [LL. invasivus: cf. F. invasif. See Invade.] Tending to invade; characterized by invasion; aggressive. "Invasive war." --Hoole.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
Cite This Source
Share :Share This: digg.comShare This: www.stumbleupon.comShare This: del.icio.usShare This: FacebookShare This: favorites.live.comShare This: www.technorati.comShare This: furl.netShare This: www.myspace.comShare This: www.google.comShare This: myweb2.search.yahoo.comShare This: myjeeves.ask.com
Search another word or see invasive on Thesaurus | Reference | Translate
Get your FREE Subscription to Dictionary.com Word of the Day
The FREE Dictionary.com Toolbar
Dictionary Thesaurus Reference
The answers are right on your browser and just a click away with Dictionary.com Toolbar.