Restriktif

Restriktiv is an adjective used in Danish, Norwegian (Bokmål), and Swedish to mean "restrictive" or "constraining." It describes rules, policies, or approaches that limit what is possible or allowed. In legal and administrative contexts, the term is common for describing measures that narrow freedoms or options, such as policies that limit entry, permissions, or expenditures. A restriktiv approach in budgeting or regulation emphasizes tighter controls and fewer exemptions, approvals, or waivers.

Etymology and usage context. The word derives from the Latin restrictus, via the French restrictif or the English restrictive, and has been adopted into Scandinavian languages with similar meaning. It is predominantly used in formal or bureaucratic prose, including government documents, policy analyses, and regulatory discussions.

In linguistics and grammar, restriktiv can describe devices or interpretations that limit or specify meaning. For example, it may be used to refer to a restrictive interpretation of a rule or to a restrictive relative clause in which essential information defines the referent. While the term is aligned with its English counterpart, its use in Scandinavian languages is typically as a general descriptor of narrowing or constraining aspects within a system, policy, or text.

See also. Restrictive clause, restrictive policy, regulation.