'restitutive' originates from Latin, specifically the word 'restituere', where 're-' meant 'back' and 'statuere'/'stituere' meant 'to place' or 'to set up'.

'restituere' passed into Late Latin as 'restitutivus' and influenced Medieval Latin and Old French forms before entering English as 'restitutive' in Modern English.

Initially it meant 'to place back or restore', and over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'restoring to a former state or providing restitution'.