conservative
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: ipa: /kənˈsɜːvətɪv/
ipa: /kənˈzɜːvətɪv/
ipa: /kənˈsɝvətɪv/
note: Indic
ipa: /kənsə(r)ˈveʈɪv/
Forms: form: more conservative
form: most conservative
Etymology: Borrowed from Middle French conservatif, from Latin cōnservō (“to preserve”). Equivalent to conserve + -ative.
Senses: examples: text: The chef added a conservative amount of salt to the dish.
glosses: Cautious, moderate.
examples: text: The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.
text: In spite of the vague evidence, I think that we may conclude that ME ǭ, like ME ę̄, had two pronunciations during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, a more advanced pronunciation with close [oː], and a more conservative one with the ‘intermediate vowel’ [ɔː] […]
ref: 1957, E[ric] J. Dobson, English pronunciation 1500-1700, second edition, volume II: Phonology, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1968, →OCLC, § 145, page 673:
glosses: Tending to resist change or innovation.
examples: text: At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.
glosses: Based on pessimistic assumptions, and on the low side.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: George Soros remains a favorite target of conservative conspiracy theorists, seeing his corrupting influence behind every liberal movement and within every nook and cranny.
ref: 2020 November 18, Brian Lowry, “‘Soros’ looks at the life and activism of the right’s favorite bogeyman”, in CNN:
topics: economics
government
human-sciences
politics
sciences
social-science
social-sciences
glosses: Supporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.
examples: text: We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the Conservative, party.
ref: 1830, Quarterly Rev.:
topics: government
politics
glosses: Relating to the Conservative Party.
topics: natural-sciences
physical-sciences
physics
glosses: Neither creating nor destroying a given quantity.
examples: text: Without the conservative organs, the body would receive no nourishment; and without nourishment, it would soon decay and perish.
ref: 1841, The New British and Foreign Temperance Magazine, page 202:
glosses: Having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
glosses: Relating to Conservative Judaism.
topics: business
clothing
fashion
lifestyle
manufacturing
textiles
glosses: Conventional, traditional, and moderate in style and appearance; not extreme, excessive, faddish, or intense.
examples: text: Operative treatment should be reserved for those patients in whom conservative treatment has failed and who are motivated with regard to sports.
ref: 2000, G. Puddu et al., “Achilles Tendon Injuries”, in The Encyclopaedia of Sports Medicine, →ISBN, page 200:
topics: medicine
sciences
glosses: Not including any operation or intervention (said of a treatment, see conservative treatment)
examples: text: While innovative in its verbal system, Sardinian is the most conservative Romance language in its vocabulary and phonology.
topics: human-sciences
linguistics
sciences
glosses: Having few changes relative to an older form, especially in comparison to related varieties.
topics: calculus
mathematics
sciences
glosses: That is the gradient of a function.
raw_tags: of field
Derived terms: anticonservative
archconservative
biconservative
bioconservative
conservaloon
conservaphobia
conservatard
conservatarian
conservatise
Conservative
conservative correctness
conservative extension
conservative force
conservative-libertarianism
conservatively
conservative model
conservativeness
conservativism
conservativitis
conservatize
conservaturd
cuckservative
cuntservative
fiscal conservative
homocon
hyperconservative
liberal conservative
national conservative
nonconservative
overconservative
paleoconservative
political conservative
pseudoconservative
semiconservative
small-c conservative
social conservative
superconservative
technoconservative
theoconservative
ultraconservative
unconservative
Related terms: conservationist
conservatism
conservator
conserve
Labour Party
liberal
Republican party
Tory