conservative
//kənˈsɜːvətɪv//
Forms
- Plural
- conservatives
- Comparative
- more conservative
- Superlative
- most conservative
Definitions
1.A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.
2.One who seeks to promote or preserve traditional values or institutions.
3.One who seeks to promote traditions in a particular domain (e.g. a fiscal conservative or a social conservative).
4.A member of a political party incorporating the word "Conservative" in its name.
1.Cautious, moderate.
- The chef added a conservative amount of salt to the dish.
2.Tending to resist change or innovation.
- India is a conservative land. The gods do not change.
- 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.Supporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.
- George Soros remains a favorite target of conservative conspiracy theorists, seeing his corrupting influence behind every liberal movement and within every nook and cranny.
Frequency
Overall
Common· #1844
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Uncommon
- General reading & writing
- Common
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French conservatif, from Latin cōnservō (“to preserve”).
Equivalent to conserve + -ative.