sup·port·ive

[suh-pawr-tiv, -pohr-]
adjective
1.
giving support.
2.
providing sympathy or encouragement: His family was supportive of his attempts to be a writer.
3.
providing additional help, information, etc.; auxiliary: manufacturers of supportive materials.
4.
Medicine/Medical. helping to maintain a normal physiological balance, as by the intravenous administration of required nutriment.

Origin:
1585–95; support + -ive

sup·port·ive·ness, noun
non·sup·port·ive, adjective
un·sup·port·ive, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To supportive
00:10
Supportive is always a great word to know.
So is mandible. Does it mean:
the bone of the lower jaw.
the outer, nonvascular, nonsensitive layer of the skin, covering the true skin or corium.
Collins
World English Dictionary
supportive (səˈpɔːtɪv) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
adj
providing support, esp moral or emotional support
 
supportively
 
adv
 
supportiveness
 
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

supportive
1590s, from support + -ive. Called "rare" in OED (1933).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
Cite This Source
Example sentences
His research spans engineering applications and the supportive fundamental
  science.
But yes, going fully flat-footed can have a lot of supportive benefits too.
He suggests curbing emotional eating, surrounding yourself with a supportive
  circle of friends and family, and exercising.
It's a supportive boot design that enhances energy transmission for superb
  performance.
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
  • Please Login or Sign Up to use the Recent Searches feature
FAVORITES
RECENT