subtractively

Subtractively is an adverb used to describe a process or effect produced by subtraction or removal rather than addition. In technical writing, it is commonly applied to color theory, audio synthesis, imaging, and manufacturing, where outcomes are achieved by removing material, wavelengths, or components.

In subtractive color mixing, pigments or dyes absorb particular wavelengths of light and reflect others. Each additional pigment subtracts more light, often producing darker colors. In printing and painting, cyan, magenta, and yellow are treated as primaries; black is produced by combination and by selecting pigments that absorb broad portions of spectrum. This approach contrasts with additive color mixing, which builds color by adding light.

In subtractive synthesis, timbre is shaped by removing spectral components through filters or envelopes. Similarly, subtractive color processes and some imaging workflows rely on removing information from a signal or image to achieve the desired result.

Subtractive manufacturing encompasses processes such as milling, turning, and carving, which remove material from a solid workpiece to create parts or sculptures. It is contrasted with additive manufacturing, where material is added layer by layer to build up a part or object.

The term subtractively is primarily used in technical or academic contexts; in everyday language, more common phrases describe subtraction or removal without adopting the adverb subtractively.