directive

C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical

n. a type of law in the European Union that tells member countries what goals they must reach.

n. a legislative act of the European Union that requires member states to achieve a particular result without dictating the means of achieving it.

“The EU directive on renewable energy requires every member state to increase its use of wind power.”

“Member states were given two years to transpose the new environmental directive into their own national legal frameworks.”

C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Computing Technical

n. a special instruction in computer code that tells the computer how to handle the code itself.

n. a construct in source code that specifies how a compiler or processor should treat the input, distinct from the executable logic.

Español:directiva

“The programmer added a directive at the top of the file to include a library.”

“The compiler directive ensured that certain blocks of code were only processed when the software was being tested in a development environment.”

C1 · Advanced Academic · Formal

adj. serving to guide, lead, or show the way.

adj. serving to direct, indicate, or provide guidance; often used in psychological or management contexts.

“The manager took a very directive approach, telling everyone exactly what to do.”

“The therapist moved from a passive listening style to a more directive role to help the patient set concrete goals.”