Learn English – Opposite of additive

Rule out, clear, and eliminate are terms commonly so used. Also checked.

Related phrases are no help and no joy. For example, in a tech's logbook one is more likely to read things like "Swapped EC board, no help. Swapped TF board, still no joy" than like "Swapped EC board and ruled it out. Swapped TF board and ruled it out". I suppose no help to be a severe ellipsis of It provided no help.

Additive usually refers to a chemical compound or foodstuff. A portion removed from such a substance is an extract. The specific case of a solid removed from a solution is a precipitate.

Tax and finance use a variety of words for subtraction (discount, deduction, debit, credit), and the mathematical term is subtrahend, but the word additive is not usually used in those domains. Likewise, documents and works of art don't usually have additives, but a portion removed from a document is sometimes called an extract just like a substance is; excerpt is also common.

Related terms used in arithmetic equations:

• augend + addend = sum

• minuend – subtrahend = difference

• multiplicand × multiplier = product

• dividend ÷ divisor = quotient

Augends, addends, minuends, and subtrahends are all collectively called terms. Multiplicands, multipliers, dividends, and divisors are all collectively called factors.