conservative

The word “conservative” means a person who favours keeping things as they traditionally are and resists rapid change. In plain terms, cautious, traditional, or resistant to change — or, capitalised, a member of a Conservative political party.

“Conservative” is pronounced kuhn-SUR-vuh-tihv (/kənˈsɝvətɪv/ in IPA).

Here is “conservative” used in a sentence: “He's a conservative by nature, wary of untested ideas.”

Depending on how it is used, “conservative” can be a noun and an adjective.

The word “conservative” comes from Latin. From Middle French conservatif, from Latin conservare, "to preserve" — built from conserve plus -ative.

“Conservative” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Conservative” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a person who favours keeping things as they traditionally are and resists rapid change.

Broadly, a conservative favours keeping established traditions, institutions, and values, and is cautious about rapid change. A liberal is more open to reform and change, often prioritising individual freedoms and new approaches. The labels shift between countries and eras, but this contrast between preserving and reforming is the common thread.

No. As a noun it usually names someone with traditional political views, but the word has a wider sense. Describing a person, estimate, or choice as conservative can simply mean cautious, moderate, or restrained — a conservative guess is a deliberately low, safe one, with no political meaning at all.

It is neither by itself — it depends on the speaker's viewpoint. To some, conservative signals stability, prudence, and respect for tradition; to others it suggests resistance to needed change. In its non-political sense, calling a figure conservative is usually neutral, meaning careful and unlikely to overstate.