subtraktiven

Subtraktiven is a German-language adjective usually translated as subtractive in English. It is used to describe processes, methods, or systems that achieve changes by removing components, rather than by adding them. In English-language technical writing the direct term subtractive is more common, but subtraktiven appears in German texts across several fields.

In color theory, subtractive processes describe how pigments or dyes absorb portions of the visible spectrum. When pigments are combined, they subtract more light, producing darker colors. The traditional subtractive primaries are cyan, magenta, and yellow, with black produced through the full combination of these pigments in printing formats (CMY and CMYK), in contrast to additive color mixing used with light.

In music technology, subtractive synthesis refers to a common method of shaping timbre. A synthesizer starts with a rich, harmonically complex waveform and uses filters and modulators to subtract harmonics and alter spectral content, producing a wide range of sounds through subtraction rather than addition of tones.

In mathematics and computer science, subtractive methods describe approaches that reduce quantities step by step by subtraction. Examples include subtraction-based variants of algorithms and numerical procedures, in contrast to methods that emphasize addition, multiplication, or division. The term appears in German-language tutorials and documentation to distinguish subtractive steps from additive or constructive approaches.

See also: subtractive color model, subtractive synthesis, subtraction.