/ əˈpresɪv; NAmE / adjective
1.
treating people in a cruel and unfair way and not giving them the same freedom, rights, etc. as other people :
oppressive laws
an oppressive regime
2.
( of the weather ) extremely hot and unpleasant and lacking fresh air
SYN stifling :
oppressive heat
3.
making you feel unhappy and anxious :
an oppressive relationship
SYN stifling
► op·pres·sive·ly adverb :
to behave oppressively
oppressively hot
He suffered from an oppressively dominant mother.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from medieval Latin oppressivus , from oppress- pressed against, from the verb opprimere .