expressive

Expressive is an adjective used to describe something that conveys feelings, thoughts, or meaning beyond its literal content. It can refer to behavior, gestures, speech, art, or any form of communication that communicates emotional or interpretive content. A person or work described as expressive is typically capable of conveying a strong sense of mood or message.

Etymology traces expressive to the Latin exprimere, meaning “to press out” or “to utter,” from ex- “out” and premere “to press.” The sense “able to express” developed in English through usage in literature and philosophy.

In language and psychology, expressive relates to the ability to convey meaning or emotion. Expressive language refers to the use of words and other means to communicate ideas, while expressive speech can emphasize tone, rhythm, and facial expressions. In psychology, expressivity describes the extent to which a person openly shows emotions, and disorders such as expressive language disorder or expressive aphasia affect intentional production of language or gesture.

In the arts, expressivity denotes an emphasis on conveying emotional experience rather than exact replication of reality. Expressive arts—encompassing music, painting, dance, theater, and poetry—prioritize subjective interpretation, mood, and immediacy of feeling.

In computing and design, expressiveness describes how effectively a language, API, or interface communicates intent. An expressive programming language supports concise and readable constructs that closely reflect conceptual ideas, while expressive design aims to make system states and affordances clear to users.