attritive

1 9.9

Causing something to become smaller, weaker, or less effective over time

adjective
/əˈtrɪtɪv/

: desgaste

The attritive effects of time can be seen on the old building.

Examples

The company faced attritive competition that gradually reduced its market share.
Long negotiations can have an attritive effect on both parties involved.
The army adopted an attritive strategy to slowly weaken the enemy over time.
Many attritive processes in nature lead to erosion.
The attritive effects of constant stress can lead to serious health issues over time.
Living in such an attritive environment gradually wore down her enthusiasm for the project.
The attritive nature of the harsh climate made it difficult for crops to thrive.

Synonyms

attritional

vsattritive

1 8.6

Causing slow loss or wearing down over time

causes gradual reduction or weakening rather than merely relating to it

How Wearing

erosive

1 6.4

attritive

1 9.9

abrasive

6 4.8

Surface Forms

attritive positive

Morphology

attritive = attrition (transparent) = attrit + ive

The adjective is clearly formed by adding the suffix '-ive' meaning 'causing/related to' to the attrition root, so its meaning 'causing wearing down' follows directly from 'attrition'.

Etymology

The word attritive comes from Latin parts ad- meaning 'to' and trit meaning 'rub', so it once meant 'to rub down'. Think of rubbing something slowly until it wears away, and that's why attritive describes something that causes gradual weakening or wearing down over time.