Word Study
significative
CIDE DICTIONARY
significative, a. [L. significativus: cf. F. significatif.].
- Betokening or representing by an external sign. [1913 Webster]"The holy symbols or signs are not barely significative." [1913 Webster]
- Having signification or meaning; expressive of a meaning or purpose; significant. [1913 Webster]"Neither in the degrees of kindred they were destitute of significative words." [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
significative, adj.
1 (esp. of a symbol etc.) signifying.
2 having a meaning.
3 (usu. foll. by of) serving as a sign or evidence.
1 (esp. of a symbol etc.) signifying.
2 having a meaning.
3 (usu. foll. by of) serving as a sign or evidence.
Etymology
ME f. OF significatif -ive, or LL significativus (as SIGNIFY)
ROGET THESAURUS
significative
Meaning
N meaning, signification, significance, sense, expression, import, purport, force, drift, tenor, spirit, bearing, coloring, scope, substance, gist, essence, marrow, spirit, matter, subject, subject matter, argument, text, sum and substance, general meaning, broad meaning, substantial meaning, colloquial meaning, literal meaning, plain meaning, simple meaning, natural meaning, unstrained meaning, true meaning, honest meaning, &c 543 prima facie meaning, letter of the law, literally, after acceptation, synonym, implication, allusion, suggestion, figure of speech, acceptation, meaning, expressive, suggestive, allusive, significant, significative, significatory, pithy, full of meaning, pregnant with meaning, declaratory, intelligible, literal, synonymous, tantamount, implied, explicit, to that effect, that is to say.For further exploring for "significative" in Webster Dictionary Online