sportive

[ spawr-tiv, spohr- ]

adjective

1. playful or frolicsome; jesting, jocose, or merry:

   a sportive puppy.

   Synonyms: frisky, sprightly, gay, jocular

2. done in sport, rather than in earnest:

   a sportive show of affection.

3. pertaining to or of the nature of a sport or sports. sports.
4. Biology. mutative.
5. Archaic. ardent; wanton.

sportive

/ ˈspɔːtɪv /

adjective

1. playful or joyous
2. done in jest rather than seriously
3. of, relating to, or interested in sports
4. obsolete.
   wanton or amorous

   a sportive wench

Derived Forms

• ˈsportiveness, noun
• ˈsportively, adverb

Other Words From

• sportive·ly adverb
• sportive·ness Archaic, sporta·bili·ty noun
• un·sportive adjective
• un·sportive·ly adverb
• un·sportive·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sportive¹

First recorded in 1580–90; sport + -ive

Example Sentences

It was plain that these feet had kicked off sportive children oftener than they had plodded with freight through miry lanes.

From Project Gutenberg

Celebrate the bull among the cows, for it is the sportive host of the Maruts; he grew as he tasted the rain.

From Project Gutenberg

They the sportive, the roaring, with bright spears, the shakers of the clouds have themselves glorified their greatness.

From Project Gutenberg

The theory was charming in itself, and only a woman like Edith, whose fancy had always been sportive, would have dreamed it.

From Project Gutenberg

He is restless as the ocean, impelled by every contrary wind, and tossed about by every sportive billow.

From Project Gutenberg