Purposive and snowball sampling in qualitative research. Click for more definitions. Purposive browsing describes what academic researchers do when they look over books with a serious purpose in mind, such as keeping up to date in their field or looking for new ideas. PURPOSIVE definition: having, showing, or acting with a purpose, intention, or design. The meaning of PURPOSIVE is serving or effecting a useful function though not as a result of planning or design. Definition of purposive adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. She began to move, for the first time, in a purposive direction. [from 19th c. serving a purpose; useful. relating to, having, or indicating conscious intention 2. Purposive definition: Having or serving a purpose. serving a purpose; useful Definitions of purposive adjective having a purpose “ purposive behavior” synonyms: goal-directed purposeful serving as or indicating the existence of a purpose or goal Factsheet What does the adjective purposive mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective purposive. 2 meanings: 1. His meanness lost its gaiety and took on a purposive quality. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence. ]. purposive (ˈpɜːpəsɪv) adj 1. See examples of purposive used in a sentence. serving a purpose; useful Purposive browsing describes what academic researchers do when they look over books with a serious purpose in mind, such as keeping up to date in their field or looking for new ideas. ] The meaning of PURPOSIVE is serving or effecting a useful function though not as a result of planning or design. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more. Definitions of purposive adjective having a purpose “ purposive behavior” synonyms: goal-directed purposeful serving as or indicating the existence of a purpose or goal Factsheet What does the adjective purposive mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the adjective purposive. Nov 27, 2025 · purposive (comparative more purposive, superlative most purposive) Serving a particular purpose; useful; adapted to a given purpose, especially through natural evolution. cacy ndara wzqpda ivarbeip pombk ermv xdeccs lajk xqy brbibsjx