directive
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: directives
Sense 1
That which directs; serving to direct, indicate, or guide.
Adjective
Examples
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Relating to the directive case.
Adjective
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 3
An instruction or guideline that indicates how to perform an action or reach a goal.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Sense 4
A construct in source code that indicates how it should be processed but is not necessarily part of the program to be run.
Noun
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “directive” mean?
That which directs; serving to direct, indicate, or guide.
Is “directive” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.