excessive

English

Etymology

From Middle English excessive, excessif, from Old French excessif, from Medieval Latin excessivus, equivalent to excess +‎ -ive.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪkˈsɛsɪv/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɛsɪv
  • Homophone: exessive

Adjective

excessive (comparative more excessive, superlative most excessive)

  1. Exceeding the usual bounds of something; extravagant; immoderate.
    Putting a wide vibrato on a single 16th triplet note at 160 beats per minute seems rather excessive.
    • 1834, L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter VII, in Francesca Carrara. [], volume III, London: Richard Bentley, [], (successor to Henry Colburn), →OCLC, page 54:
      "You can throw off your cumbersome disguise here," said Lucy, though the words could scarcely be distinguished, from her excessive agitation, Evelyn hastily caught up a cloak and cap laid ready for him, and a few minutes brought them into the sitting-room.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Derived terms

Translations

French

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɛk.sɛ.siv/ ~ /ɛk.se.siv/
  • Audio:(file)

Adjective

excessive

  1. feminine singular of excessif

Interlingua

Adjective

excessive (comparative plus excessive, superlative le plus excessive)

  1. excessive

Latin

Adjective

excessīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of excessīvus