Conductive

How to spell conductive

10 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce conductive

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does conductive mean?

1. adjectiveAble to transmit heat, electricity, or sound through a material.

Conductive in a sentence

• Copper is highly conductive and is used in most electrical wiring.

• The gel makes the skin more conductive so the sensors read clearly.

Where does conductive come from?

Language of origin: Latin

This word traces back to the Latin verb conducere, meaning 'to lead together' or 'to bring together', formed from the prefix con- ('together') and ducere ('to lead'). The same ducere root runs through a large family of English words, including 'conduct', 'duct', 'produce', and 'aqueduct', all sharing the basic idea of leading or channelling something along. The past participle conductus gave rise to 'conduct' in English, and the adjective conductive was coined to describe something that leads or transmits, especially heat or electricity. It became common in scientific English from the early 1800s as physicists studied how materials carry an electric current. Remembering the hidden 'duct', the channel that leads the current through, helps fix the spelling and keeps it distinct from the similar-looking 'conducive', which means favourable or helpful.

How the word is built

• con- (together)
• duct (from Latin ducere, to lead)
• -ive (adjective suffix, tending to)