an instruction; order
tending to direct; directing indicating direction
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
di•rec•tive /dɪˈrɛktɪv, daɪ-/USA pronunciation
adj.
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- serving to direct;
directing.
n. [countable]
- an instruction or direction;
an order:He received a directive from headquarters.
di•rec•tive
(di rek′tiv, dī-),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
- serving to direct;
directing:a directive board. - Psychology, Psychotherapypertaining to a type of psychotherapy in which the therapist actively offers advice and information rather than dealing only with information supplied by the patient.
n.
- an authoritative instruction or direction;
specific order:a new directive by the President on foreign aid.
- Medieval Latin dīrēctīvus. See direct, -ive
- late Middle English 1425–75
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
'directive' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
administrative leave
- advance directive
- behest
- code
- directory
- enjoinder
- no-code
- nondirective therapy
- order of the day
- precept
- prescribe
- red light
- requirement
- retrodirective
- self-directive
- ukase
- white alert