compulsive: Meaning and Definition of

com•pul•sive

Pronunciation: (kum-pul'siv), [key]
— adj.
  1. compelling; compulsory.
  2. a compulsive desire to cry.
    1. pertaining to, characterized by, or involving compulsion:a compulsive desire to cry.
    2. governed by an obsessive need to conform, be scrupulous, etc., coupled with an inability to express positive emotions.
—n.
  1. a person whose behavior is governed by a compulsion.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also: