Obstructives

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Being related to something that hinders or blocks progress or movement; referring to obstacles that interfere with a process or function; pertaining to factors that create barriers or make tasks difficult to accomplish
2. Characterizing elements that impede advancement or flow; indicating things that obstruct normal operations or activities; relating to conditions that create obstructions or complicate various functions
3. Denoting attributes or causes that prevent smooth execution or travel; describing situations that interfere with intended outcomes or actions; involving aspects that pose challenges or limitations to efficiency

Etymology: "Obstructives" is the plural of "obstructive," which is itself built from "obstruct" plus the suffix "-ive." The verb "obstruct" comes from Latin "obstruere," meaning to build against or pile up in the way, so that it blocks a path. The suffix traces back through Latin "-ivus," which denotes a tendency or quality, and reached English by way of Old French "-if" and Middle English "-yf," eventually settling into the modern "-ive." The plural form therefore names a set of things that share the quality of blocking, whatever they happen to be. Because the suffix simply attaches a quality to a verb, the noun's sense is transparent: anything with the tendency to obstruct is, in this usage, an obstructive.