penetrative
adjective
- adjective That can or does physically penetrate something; piercing, penetrating.
- adjective Displaying insight or discrimination; acute; penetrating.
- adjective (sports) That can penetrate opposition defences.
- adjective Pertaining to sexual activity involving penetration by the penis (or similar object).
Synonyms
acute discriminating incisive keen knifelike penetrating piercing sharp
Antonyms
Etymology
From Middle English penetratyve, penetratif, from Medieval Latin penetrativus, from (the participle stem of) Latin penetrāre (“to penetrate”).
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Tending to penetrate; of a penetrating quality; piercing; as, the penetrative sun. His look became keen and penetrative. Hawthorne.
- adjective Having the power to affect or impress the mind or heart; impressive; as, penetrative shame. Shak.
Etymology [Cf. F. pénétratif.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “penetrative”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details