Conservative

UK: 'conservative', 'Conservative': /kənˈsɜːvətɪv/

US: /kənˈsɝvətɪv/

US: (kən sûr′və tiv)

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Conservative / kənˈsɜːvətɪv/ adjective (in Britain, Canada, and elsewhere)

1. of, supporting, or relating to a Conservative Party
2. of, relating to, or characterizing Conservative Judaism

noun

1. a supporter or member of a Conservative Party

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

con•serv•a•tive /kənˈsɜrvətɪv/   adj. 

1. of or relating to conservatism:
   a conservative outlook on any changes to the curriculum.
2. cautiously moderate;
   safe:
   A conservative estimate shows an increase in inflation to 9%.
3. traditional in style or manner:
   Wear a conservative suit to your interview.
4. Government [Conservative] of or relating to a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative Party of Great Britain.
5. of or relating to the principles of political conservatism:
   believed the incumbent was not conservative enough.

n. [countable]

6. a person who is conservative in principles, habits, etc.
7. Government a supporter of conservative political policies.
8. Government [Conservative] a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative Party of Great Britain.

con•serv•a•tive•ly, adv. 
con•serv•a•tive•ness, n. [uncountable] See -serv-².

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

con•serv•a•tive  (kən sûr′və tiv), adj. 

1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low:
   a conservative estimate.
3. traditional in style or manner;
   avoiding novelty or showiness:
   conservative suit.
4. Government (often cap.) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5. Judaism (cap.) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6. having the power or tendency to conserve;
   preservative.
7. Mathematics (of a vector or vector function) having curl equal to zero;
   irrotational;
   lamellar.

n. 

8. a person who is conservative in principles, actions, habits, etc.
9. Government a supporter of conservative political policies.
10. Government (cap.) a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain.
11. a preservative.

• Latin, as above
• Middle French
• Late Latin conservātīvus, equivalent. to Latin conservāt(us) (see conservation) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English conservatif
• 1350–1400

con•serv′a•tive•ly, adv. 
con•serv′a•tive•ness, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

conservative / kənˈsɜːvətɪv/ adjective

1. favouring the preservation of established customs, values, etc, and opposing innovation
2. of, characteristic of, or relating to conservatism
3. tending to be moderate or cautious: a conservative estimate
4. conventional in style or type: a conservative suit
5. (of treatment) designed to alleviate symptoms
   Compare radical4

noun

1. a person who is reluctant to change or consider new ideas; conformist
2. a supporter or advocate of conservatism

adjective , noun

1. a less common word for preservative

conˈservatively adverb

conˈservativeness noun