appulsive
|ap-pul-sive|
/əˈpʌlsɪv/
close approach / tending to press
Etymology
'appulsive' originates from Latin, specifically the past participle 'appulsus' (from the elements 'ad-' + 'pellere'), where 'ad-' meant 'to' or 'toward' and 'pellere' meant 'to drive'.
'appulsive' evolved from the Latin 'appulsus' through Medieval/Neo-Latin usage; the related English noun 'appulse' (recorded in astronomical contexts from the 17th century) influenced the later adjectival formation 'appulsive' in English.
Initially, in Latin it meant 'driven to or driven against'; over time it developed a specialized meaning of 'relating to a close approach' (especially in astronomy) and a more general sense of 'pressing or impinging'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
(astronomy) Relating to or describing an appulse: a close apparent approach of one celestial body to another as seen from a particular vantage point.
The comet made an unusually appulsive passage past Mars, appearing very near the planet for several nights.
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Adjective 2
having the quality of pressing against or impinging; tending to come into contact or to push toward something.
He felt an appulsive pressure as the two surfaces were forced together.
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Last updated: 2025/09/28 04:12