anti-conservative
|an-ti-con-ser-va-tive|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.ti kənˈsɝ.və.tɪv/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.ti kənˈsɜː.və.tɪv/
against conservatism
Etymology
'anti-conservative' originates from a combination of the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'antí', meaning 'against') and 'conservative' (from French 'conservateur', ultimately from Latin 'conservare'), where 'con-' meant 'together' and 'servare' meant 'to keep or preserve'.
'conservative' came into English via French 'conservateur' and Latin 'conservare'; the modern compound 'anti-conservative' is an English formation using the productive prefix 'anti-' + the adjective 'conservative'.
Initially the elements meant 'against' + 'preserving' (inherited senses of the parts); over time the compound came to mean specifically 'opposed to conservative (political or traditional) views', which is its current sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who is opposed to conservative views or policies.
As an anti-conservative, he often campaigned for expanded public services and civil liberties.
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Adjective 1
opposing or hostile to conservative political views, policies, or ideology.
Her speeches were explicitly anti-conservative, calling for major reforms in social policy.
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Adjective 2
opposed to traditionalism or preserving established institutions and practices (broader, not strictly political).
The movement's aesthetics are deliberately anti-conservative, favoring experimental forms over classical ones.
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Last updated: 2025/10/22 15:45