1580s, probably from imitate + -ive; or else from French imitatif, from Late Latin imitativus, from imitat-, stem of Latin imitari "to copy, portray" (from PIE root *aim- "to copy").
Entries linking to imitative
imitate v.
1530s, a back-formation from imitation or imitator, or else from Latin imitatus, past participle of imitari "to copy, portray" (from PIE root *aim- "to copy"). Related: Imitated; imitating. An Old English word for this was æfterhyrigan.
-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).
*aim-
Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to copy."
It forms all or part of: emulate; emulation; emulous; image; imaginary; imagination; imaginative; imagine; imago; imitable; imitate; imitative; imitator; inimitable.
It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Latin imago "image," aemulus "emulous," imitari "to copy, portray, imitate;" Hittite himma- "imitation, substitute."