Obstructiv

Obstructiv is an adjective used in some languages and technical contexts to describe something that causes obstruction or hinders passage. In English, the more common form is obstructive, and obstructiv is generally considered nonstandard or a loanword when encountered in English texts.

Origins and usage notes: The word derives from the Latin obstruere, meaning to block, and shares roots with obstruct, obstructive, and related terms. In languages that form adjectives with -iv, obstructiv may appear as the standard variant. In English, however, writers typically use obstructive or obstruction to convey the meaning of blockage or impediment.

Medical usage: When obstructiv appears in medical writing, it typically denotes a process, lesion, or device that blocks a channel or flow. Despite that, English medical literature generally favors obstructive or obstruction. Examples of obstructive phenomena include obstructive airway disease, obstructive uropathy, and obstructive sleep apnea, where the core issue is impeded airflow, urine drainage, or airway patency.

Other domains: In engineering, fluid dynamics, or related fields, the term may be encountered to describe components that impede flow. However, standard English terminology more often uses obstructing, blockage, occlusion, or increased resistance, depending on the context.

See also: obstructive, obstruction, blockage, occlusion, stenosis. Note that obstructiv is not a widely used term in contemporary English and should be avoided in formal writing in favor of standard equivalents.