Restrictive

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ɹɪˈstɹɪktɪv/

Definitions

1. Imposing strict limits or controls that constrain freedom, choice, or action
2. Creating boundaries that significantly limit choices, freedom, or opportunities
3. Placing firm boundaries that limit options or actions ; connected to grammar elements that narrow the meaning of a phrase

Etymology: "Restrictive" is a fairly plain formation: it combines "restrict," a verb that came into English from Latin "restringere," meaning "to draw back" or "bind tight," with the suffix "-ive," which turns a verb stem into an adjective meaning "tending to" or "having the quality of" the action. The adjective was borrowed through Middle French "restrictif," and the Latin root carries the sense of pulling something back and binding it, which is still visible in the modern meaning of tightly limiting freedom. The more interesting thread lies in the contrast with its sibling words. The same Latin verb "restringere" also gave English "restringent," an older term for something that tightens or constricts tissue, which shows how closely the physical act of binding and the abstract act of confining were once linked. Here the word's core idea has moved from a literal tightening to a figurative one, applied to rules, laws and conditions rather than cords or fabrics.

Synonyms: limiting, constraining, binding, confining, inhibitory

Antonyms: permissive, liberal, allowing, unrestrictive, free