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Webster 1913 Edition

Conservative

Con-serv′a-tive

,
Adj.
[Cf. F.
conservatif
.]
1.
Having power to preserve in a safe of entire state, or from loss, waste, or injury; preservative.
2.
Tending or disposed to maintain existing institutions; opposed to change or innovation.
3.
Of or pertaining to a political party which favors the conservation of existing institutions and forms of government, as the
Conservative
party in England; – contradistinguished from
Liberal
and
Radical
.
We have always been conscientiously attached to what is called the Tory, and which might with more propriety be called the
Conservative
, party.
Quart. Rev. (1830).
Conservative system
(Mech.)
,
a material system of such a nature that after the system has undergone any series of changes, and been brought back in any manner to its original state, the whole work done by external agents on the system is equal to the whole work done by the system overcoming external forces.
Clerk Maxwell.

Con-serv′a-tive

,
Noun.
1.
One who, or that which, preserves from ruin, injury, innovation, or radical change; a preserver; a conserver.
The Holy Spirit is the great
conservative
of the new life.
Jer. Taylor.
2.
One who desires to maintain existing institutions and customs; also, one who holds moderate opinions in politics; – opposed to
revolutionary
or
radical
.
3.
(Eng. Hist.)
A member of the Conservative party.

Webster 1828 Edition

Conservative

CONSERVATIVE

,
Adj.
Preservative; having power to preserve in a safe or entire state, or from loss, waste or injury.

Definition 2024

Conservative

Conservative

See also: conservative

English

Noun

Conservative ‎(plural Conservatives)

  1. (politics) A member of a political party incorporating the word "Conservative" in its name.
  1. (Britain, politics) A member of the Conservative party.
  2. (Canada, politics) A member or supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada, or its predecessors, or provincial equivalents, or their predecessors
  1. (Judaism) pertaining to Conservative Judaism

Synonyms

  • (member of the UK Conservative Party): Tory
  • (ember or supporter of the Conservative Party of Canada): Blue

Derived terms

Translations

See also

conservative

conservative

See also: Conservative

English

Noun

conservative ‎(plural conservatives)

  1. A person who favors maintenance of the status quo.
  2. (US, economics) A fiscal conservative
  3. (US, politics) A political conservative
  4. (US, social sciences) A social conservative.

Synonyms

Hyponyms

Coordinate terms

Translations

Adjective

conservative ‎(comparative more conservative, superlative most conservative)

  1. Cautious.
  2. Tending to resist change or innovation.
    The curriculum committee at this university is extremely conservative.
  3. Based on pessimistic assumptions.
    At a conservative estimate, growth may even be negative next year.
  4. (US, economics, politics, social sciences) Supporting some combination of fiscal, political or social conservatism.
  5. (Britain, 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.

Quotations

  • For usage examples of this term, see Citations:conservative.

Translations

Related terms

See also

French

Adjective

conservative

  1. feminine singular of conservatif

Italian

Adjective

conservative f pl

  1. feminine plural of conservativo

Anagrams

Latin

Adjective

conservātive

  1. vocative masculine singular of conservātivus

References

Etymology

From Middle French conservatif, from Latin conservare

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