Origin: Latin suffix -ive
Restrictive has 3 different meanings across 1 category:
(of tariff) protective of national interests by restricting imports
"The government implemented a restrictive trade policy to shield domestic industries from foreign competition."
Confining, limiting, containing within defined bounds.
"The restrictive fence prevented anyone from wandering into the neighbors' property."
In plain English: Restrictive means limiting something so it cannot be done freely or easily.
"The dress code was considered too restrictive for a casual summer party."
Usage: Use "restrictive clause" to describe a relative clause that provides essential information and omits commas, distinguishing it from nonrestrictive clauses which add extra details. Do not confuse this grammatical term with the adjective's general sense of being limiting when describing policies or rules.
The word comes from Middle French restrictif, which combined the root meaning of limiting or confining with a suffix to form an adjective. It entered English as a direct borrowing to describe something that serves to limit or confine scope, action, or choice.