"capable of participating; having the quality of participating," 1650s, from participate + -ive. Earlier adjectives were participate (from Latin participatus), participant, both late 15c.
Entries linking to participative
participate v.
1530s, "to partake, to share or share in," a back-formation from participation, or else from Latin participatus, past participle of participare "to share, share in, participate in; to impart," from particeps "partaking, sharing," from parti, past participle of partir "to divide" (from Latin partire, from pars "a part, piece," from PIE root *pere- (2) "to grant, allot") + Latin -cip-, weak form of stem of capere "to take" (from PIE root *kap- "to grasp"). Meaning "have features or characteristics in common with another or others" is by 1570s. Related: Participated; participating.
-ive
word-forming element making adjectives from verbs, meaning "pertaining to, tending to; doing, serving to do," in some cases from Old French -if, but usually directly from Latin adjectival suffix -ivus (source also of Italian and Spanish -ivo). In some words borrowed from French at an early date it has been reduced to -y (as in hasty, tardy).
participant adj.
"sharing, having a share or part," late 15c., from Old French participant and directly from Latin participantem (nominative participans), present participle of participare "to share in, partake of," from particeps "sharing, partaking" (see participation).