INFORMATIVE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does informative mean? 

• INFORMATIVE (adjective)
  The adjective INFORMATIVE has 3 senses:

1. tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

2. serving to instruct or enlighten or inform

3. providing or conveying information

  Familiarity information: INFORMATIVE used as an adjective is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INFORMATIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Tending to increase knowledge or dissipate ignorance

Synonyms:

enlightening; illuminating; informative

Context example:

an illuminating lecture

Derivation:

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Serving to instruct or enlighten or inform

Synonyms:

informative; instructive

Similar:

preachy (inclined to or marked by tedious moralization)

ostensive (manifestly demonstrative)

interpretative; interpretive (that provides interpretation)

expositive; expository (serving to expound or set forth)

explanatory (serving or intended to explain or make clear)

educational (providing knowledge)

educative (resulting in education)

doctrinaire (stubbornly insistent on theory without regard for practicality or suitability)

didactic; didactical (instructive (especially excessively))

demonstrative; illustrative (serving to demonstrate)

clarifying; elucidative (that makes clear)

Also:

informative; informatory (providing or conveying information)

Derivation:

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Providing or conveying information

Synonyms:

informative; informatory

Similar:

exemplifying; illustrative (clarifying by use of examples)

newsy (full of news)

revealing; telling; telltale (disclosing unintentionally something concealed)

advisory; consultative; consultatory; consultive (giving advice)

Also:

informative; instructive (serving to instruct or enlighten or inform)

Antonym:

uninformative (lacking information)

Derivation:

inform (impart knowledge of some fact, state of affairs, or event to)

 Context examples 

In this study researchers discovered the set of proteins it contains lasts longer than DNA and is more genetically informative than collagen, the only other protein so far retrieved from fossils older than one million years.

(‘Game-changing’ research could solve evolution mysteries, University of Cambridge)

Many of the proteins are linked to a number of health states or conditions; for example, leptin, which modulates appetite and metabolism, was informative for predictive models of percentage body fat, visceral fat, physical activity and fitness.

(Study highlights potential for ‘liquid health check’ to predict disease risk, University of Cambridge)