[1850–55; embrace1 + -ive]This word is first recorded in the period 1850–55. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: cloakroom, ethylene, headhunting, overprint, runoff-ive is a suffix of adjectives (and nouns of adjectival origin) expressing tendency, disposition,function, connection, etc. Other words that use the affix -ive include: active, destructive, detective, passive, sportive