Meaning & use

educative

adjective·Advancedformal

Last updated

UK/ˈedʒ.ʊ.kə.tɪv/
US/ˈedʒ.ə.keɪ.t̬ɪv/

Meanings

  1. adjectivecomparableformal

    Helping someone learn something or understand an idea better.

    Grammar: Describes things like trips, talks, or experiences; it usually comes before a noun.

    Patterns

    • an educative experience
    • educative for someone
    • highly educative

    The museum trip was genuinely educative for the whole class.

    Her talk about the river was short but educative.

    They designed the game to be fun and educative at the same time.

  2. adjectivenot comparableformal

    Connected with the process or theory of teaching and learning.

    Grammar: Used mainly before a noun in academic writing about education as a field.

    Patterns

    • educative theory
    • educative practice
    • educative value

    The paper discusses the educative value of group projects.

    Researchers compared educative methods in rural and city schools.

Word forms

comparativemore educative
superlativemost educative

Common combinations

an educative experience
Living abroad for a year was an educative experience for her.
highly educative
The documentary is highly educative without being dull.
educative value
Teachers questioned the educative value of the new tests.
educative for children
The exhibit is clearly educative for children.

Synonyms and how they differ

educational
Far more common and wider in use; it can also mean 'relating to schools', which educative cannot.
instructive
Focuses on teaching you a practical lesson or skill, while educative is broader and more formal.
informative
Means giving useful facts; educative suggests a deeper learning effect.

Word family

educate verb
to teach someone over time, especially at school
education noun
the process or system of teaching and learning
educator noun
a teacher or someone who works in education
educated adjective
having had a good education

Commonly confused: educative or educational?

educative vs educational

Educational is the everyday word and can mean 'to do with education' as well as 'teaching you something'; educative is rarer and only means 'helping you learn'.

Practice

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