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conservative

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: Conservative

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French conservatif, from Latin cōnservō (“to preserve”). Equivalent to conserve +‎ -ative.

Pronunciation

Noun

conservative (plural conservatives)

  1. A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.
    • 1999, Nicholas Walker, “The Reorientation of Critical Theory: Habermas”, in Simon Glemdinning, editor, The Edinburgh Encyclopedia of Continental Philosophy‎, Routledge, →ISBN, page 489:
      During the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, this commitment brought him into frequent critical confrontation with entrenched forms of conservative thinking (in academic areas from history and social science to the more abstract domains of ethical and political philosophy), […]
  2. (politics) One who seeks to promote or preserve traditional values or institutions.
    Hyponyms: reactionary, small-c conservative
    Coordinate terms: moderate, liberal, progressive, libertarian, centrist, fascist, communist, socialist
    • 2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN‎:
      If there’s a down side to the film, it’s that “Soros” probably doesn’t devote enough time to the way its subject has become a favorite bogeyman to conservatives that paint him as the guiding hand behind grassroots campaigns by those intent on discrediting them.
  3. (especially US, Canada, politics) One who seeks to promote traditions in a particular domain (e.g. a fiscal conservative or a social conservative).

Hypernyms

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

conservative (comparative more conservative, superlative most conservative)

  1. Cautious, moderate.
    The chef added a conservative amount of salt to the dish.
  2. Tending to resist change or innovation.
    The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.
  3. Based on pessimistic assumptions, and on the low side.
    At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.
  4. (US, Canada, economics, politics, social sciences) Supporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.
    • 1949, F. A. Hayek, “The Intellectuals and Socialism”, in University of Chicago Law Review, volume 16, number 3, Chicago: University of Chicago, →DOI, page 421:
      Newspapers in "capitalist" ownership, universities presided over by "reactionary" governing bodies, broadcasting systems owned by conservative governments have all been known to influence public opinion in the direction of socialism, because this was the conviction of the personnel.
    • 2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN‎:
      George Soros remains a favorite target of conservative conspiracy theorists, seeing his corrupting influence behind every liberal movement and within every nook and cranny.
  5. (British, politics) Relating to the Conservative Party.
    • 1830, Quarterly Rev.:
      We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party.
  6. (physics, not comparable) Neither creating nor destroying a given quantity.
  7. Having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
  8. (Judaism) Relating to Conservative Judaism.
  9. (clothing) Conventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
  10. (medicine) Not including any operation or intervention (said of a treatment, see conservative treatment)
    • 2000, G. Puddu et al., “Achilles Tendon Injuries”, in The Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine, →ISBN, page 200:
      Operative treatment should be reserved for those patients in whom conservative treatment has failed and who are motivated with regard to sports.
  11. (linguistics) Having few changes relative to an older form, especially in comparison to related varieties.
    While innovative in its verbal system, Sardinian is the most conservative Romance language in its vocabulary and phonology.
  12. (calculus, of field) That is the gradient of a function.

Quotations

Derived terms

Translations

See also

References

Anagrams

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French

Pronunciation

Adjective

conservative

  1. feminine singular of conservatif

Interlingua

Adjective

conservative (comparative plus conservative, superlative le plus conservative)

  1. conservative

Italian

Adjective

conservative

  1. feminine plural of conservativo

Anagrams

Latin

Pronunciation

Adjective

cōnservātīve

  1. vocative masculine singular of cōnservātīvus

References

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