'architective' originates from Latin and Greek elements via Late Latin, specifically from Latin adjective-forming use of '-ivus' attached to a form based on Greek 'arkhitektōn', where Greek 'arkhi-' meant 'chief' and 'tektōn' meant 'builder', and Latin suffix '-ivus' meant 'pertaining to'.

'architective' developed from Late Latin 'architectivus' (itself influenced by Greek 'arkhitektōn') and entered English formation as an adjective built from 'architect' + English suffix '-ive', eventually appearing in modern English as 'architective'.

Initially it carried the literal sense 'pertaining to an architect or to architecture'; over time it has also come to be used more broadly for anything that has a formative or structuring role (i.e., 'serving to shape or organize').