Subscriber login


Forgot your password?

Library card login

Other

conservative

Syllabification: (con·serv·a·tive)
Pronunciation: /kənˈsərvətiv/

Translate conservative | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of conservative

adjective

  • holding to traditional attitudes and values and cautious about change or innovation, typically in relation to politics or religion.
  • (of dress or taste) sober and conventional:a conservative suit
  • (of an estimate) purposely low for the sake of caution:the film was not cheap—$30,000 is a conservative estimate
  • (of surgery or medical treatment) intended to control rather than eliminate a condition, with existing tissue preserved as far as possible.
  • (Conservative) of or relating to the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party in another country.

noun

  • a person who is averse to change and holds to traditional values and attitudes, typically in relation to politics.
  • (Conservative) a supporter or member of the Conservative Party of Great Britain or a similar party in another country.

Derivatives

conservatism

Pronunciation: /kənˈsərvəˌtizəm/

noun

conservatively

adverb

conservativeness

noun

Origin:

late Middle English (in the sense 'aiming to preserve'): from late Latin conservativus, from conservat- 'conserved', from the verb conservare (see conserve). Current senses date from the mid 19th century onward

conservative in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of conservative in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

  |  Cite

Word of the day

secretagogue

/ siˈkrētəˌgôg /
noun
a substance that promotes secretion …