invasive

American  

[in-vey-siv] / ɪnˈveɪ sɪv /

adjective

1. characterized by or involving invasion; offensive.

   invasive war.

2. invading, or tending to invade; intrusive.

   Every party we have is crashed by those invasive neighbors.

3. Medicine/Medical. requiring the entry of a needle, catheter, or other instrument into a part of the body, especially in a diagnostic procedure, as a biopsy.

   An x-ray is not invasive, but it may not tell us everything we need to know.

4. (of a plant, especially a nonnative one) posing a threat to a plant community by growing vigorously and spreading prolifically among the previously established vegetation.

   One of these invasive Asian grasses is making its way to the forest floors of southern Indiana.

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invasive British  

/ ɪnˈveɪsɪv /

adjective

1. of or relating to an invasion, intrusion, etc

2. relating to or denoting cancer at the stage at which it has spread from its site of origin to other tissues

3. (of surgery) involving making a relatively large incision in the body to gain access to the target of the surgery, as opposed to making a small incision or gaining access endoscopically through a natural orifice

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invasive Scientific  

/ ĭn-vā′sĭv /

1. 1. Relating to a disease or condition that has a tendency to spread, especially a malignant cancer that spreads into healthy tissue.

   2. Relating to a medical procedure in which a part of the body is entered, as by puncture or incision.

2. Not native to and tending to spread widely in a habitat or environment. Invasive species often have few natural predators or other biological controls in their new environment. Although not always considered harmful to an environment, invasive species can become agricultural or ecological pests and can displace native species from their habitats. Invasive species are often introduced to an environment unintentionally, as the zebra mussel was to the Great Lakes, but are sometimes introduced for a purpose, as kudzu was to the southern US, where it was originally planted to control erosion.

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Other Word Forms

• uninvasive adjective

Etymology

Origin of invasive

First recorded in 1580–1600; French invasif, from Medieval Latin invāsīvus, derivative of Latin invāsus, past participle of invādere “to come into, go into, usurp, attack,” invasion, -ive

Example Sentences

Since multiple doses are needed, this requires highly invasive procedures.

From Science Daily

Although it provides valuable medical insight, many individuals hesitate to undergo the procedure because it requires extensive preparation and can feel invasive.

From Science Daily

“These intubations served no medical purpose and were in direct contradiction to Mr. Ginn Sr.’s order that no invasive procedures, like intubation, be performed,” the lawsuit said.

From Seattle Times

“Prior to this study, it looked unlikely to me that invasive air sacs would have evolved three times independently” in separate dinosaur lineages, Aureliano says—but the new results suggest that scenario.

From Scientific American

But what about the plants that aren’t technically invasive, but are just plain undesirable?

From Washington Post

Related Words

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