abrasive n.

1650s, "act of abrading," from Medieval Latin abrasionem (nominative abrasio) "a scraping," noun of action from past-participle stem of Latin abradere "to scrape away, shave off," from ab "off" (see ab-) + radere "to scrape" (see raze (v.)). From 1740 as "result of abrasion."

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).