'restrictiveness' originates from the adjective 'restrictive' (formed from the verb 'restrict') and the noun-forming suffix '-ness'. 'Restrict' ultimately derives from Latin 'restringere', where 're-' meant 'again' and 'stringere' meant 'to bind or draw tight.'

'restrict' came into English via Old French (e.g. 'restreindre') from Latin 'restringere'; the adjective 'restrictive' was formed from 'restrict' with the suffix '-ive', and the noun 'restrictiveness' was created by adding '-ness' to 'restrictive'.

Initially the Latin root 'restringere' meant 'to bind or draw tight'; over time the related English word 'restrict' shifted to the sense 'to limit or confine', and 'restrictiveness' now denotes the extent or degree of such limiting.