1660s, "tending to explode," from Latin explos-, past participle stem of explodere "drive out, reject" (see explosion) + -ive. As a noun, from 1874. Related: Explosives (n.); explosively; explosiveness.
explosive gas
explosive force
an explosive device
explosive violence
an explosive temper
an explosive issue
an explosive laugh
exploration
exploratory
explore
explorer
explosion
explosive
exponent
exponential
export
expose
exposition