compulsive

English

Etymology

Borrowed from French compulsif, formed from Latin compulsus, past participle of compellere (“to compel”), from com- (“together”) + pellere (“to drive”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kəmˈpʌlsɪv/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

compulsive (comparative more compulsive, superlative most compulsive)

1. Uncontrolled or reactive and irresistible.

   Jenny is a compulsive liar - don't believe a thing she says.

   • 1990, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990:

     Under this Act, the term "disability" shall not include—...(2) compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; or […]

2. Having power to compel; exercising or applying compulsion.
   • a. 1729, Samuel Clarke, The Doctrines of Religion reasonable to be believed:

     Religion is […] inconsistent with all compulsive Motives.

Derived terms

• anticompulsive
• clothing compulsive
• compulsive behaviour
• compulsive decluttering
• compulsive hoarder
• compulsive hoarding
• compulsively
• compulsiveness
• compulsive streak
• compulsivity
• noncompulsive
• obsessive-compulsive
• uncompulsive

 

Related terms

• compel
• compulsion
• compulsory

Translations

uncontrolled or reactive and unconscious

• Bulgarian: принудителен (bg) (prinuditelen), задължителен
• Catalan: compulsiu
• Czech: nutkavý
• Dutch: dwangmatig (nl)
• Finnish: pakonomainen, pakottava (fi)
• German: zwanghaft (de)
• Hungarian: kényszeres (hu)
• Mongolian: өөрийн эрхгүй (ööriin erxgüj)
• Polish: kompulsywny (pl), przymusowy (pl)
• Romanian: coercitiv (ro) m, constrângător (ro) m
• Russian: неконтроли́руемый (ru) (nekontrolírujemyj), навязчивый (ru) (navjazčivyj)
• Spanish: compulsivo (es)
• Swedish: tvångsmässig (sv)

Noun

compulsive (plural compulsives)

1. One who exhibits compulsive behaviours.

Further reading

• “compulsive”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “compulsive”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “compulsive”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

French

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

compulsive

1. feminine singular of compulsif

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kom.pulˈsi.ve/
• Rhymes: -ive
• Hyphenation: com‧pul‧sì‧ve

Adjective

compulsive

1. feminine plural of compulsivo