English

Adjective

impactive ‎(comparative more impactive, superlative most impactive)

1. Of, pertaining to, possessing, or caused by impact.
   • 1880, W. S. Barnard, "Protoplasmic Dynamics," The American Naturalist, vol. 14, no. 4, p. 237:

     It is necessary to distinguish all forces sharply into two groups: 1, the attractional (gravity, adhesion, cohesion, chemism), and 2, the impactive or momentum forces of masses, molecules and atoms.

   • 1970, Kent Kirby, "Art, Technology and the Liberal Arts College," Art Journal, vol. 29, no. 3, p. 330:

     Along with this revolution has come another, quieter and more subtle, but perhaps more impactive and ultimately more dynamic in its potential for change.

   • 2001, Elissa Gootman, "An Intricate Bond; New Haven's past and future are so tied to Yale, but it took 300 years for the two to get along," New York Times, 18 Feb.:

     And in what may prove to be the most impactive development, the university is nurturing the nexus of science and business to create a biotechnology sector that has already brought millions of dollars and hundreds of jobs into town.

References

• "impactive" at OneLook® Dictionary Search.
• Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., 1989.