sportive

adjective

sport·​ive ˈspȯr-tiv How to pronounce sportive (audio)
1
2
: of or relating to sports and especially field sports
sportively adverb
sportiveness noun

Examples of sportive in a Sentence

a sportive pastor who began every sermon with a joke
Recent Examples on the Web On Sunday, as Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev competed for the men’s championship (with Djokovic prevailing in the end), another crew was present to take in the sportive scene. Nick Remsen, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2023 In 2018, Brooke Eby, a sportive goofball with strawberry-blond hair, started to feel as though her left foot couldn’t keep up. Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 19 June 2023 That was true even in extremely endangered ones such as the northern sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis) of which only 40 are known to exist, all within 12 square kilometers of Madagascar. Byelizabeth Pennisi, science.org, 1 June 2023 Revel, too, in more sportive jaunts, such as volcano hiking, horseback-riding, zip-lining, rappelling down waterfalls, fishing and white-water river rafting. Laura Manske, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2023 The rarest is the Sahafary sportive lemur (Lepilemur septentrionalis), found in a tiny area in northern Madagascar. Anna Funk, Discover Magazine, 16 Nov. 2020 The remaining lineage split into the sportive lemurs (Lepilemuridae), and the dwarf and mouse lemurs (Cheirogaleidae; right). Discover Magazine, 17 Mar. 2011 His actions impact the reputation of his colleagues, sportive results, and eventually can be damaging to our game. Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 26 Sep. 2022 The sportive rhythm of the show doesn’t preclude tragedy. Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sportive.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sportive was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near sportive

Cite this Entry

“Sportive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sportive. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sportive

adjective
sport·​ive ˈspōrt-iv How to pronounce sportive (audio)
ˈspȯrt-
sportively adverb
sportiveness noun
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