reactionaries
|re-ac-tion-ar-ies|
🇺🇸
/riˈækʃəˌnɛriz/
🇬🇧
/rɪˈækʃ(ə)n(ə)riz/
(reactionary)
opposition to change
Etymology
'reactionary' originates from French, specifically the word 'réactionnaire', where 'réaction' meant 'reaction' and the suffix '-aire' meant 'pertaining to'.
'reactionary' changed from French 'réactionnaire' (mid-19th century) and entered English as 'reactionary' to describe those favoring a political reaction (a return to a previous state). The French 'réaction' itself comes from medieval Latin 'reactionem'.
Initially it meant 'relating to or resulting from reaction'; over time it came to mean 'opposed to progress; favoring a return to a previous social or political state.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a person who opposes political or social progress or change and favors a return to a previous state of affairs.
Reactionaries campaigned against the new social reforms.
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Noun 2
people or groups who resist change in institutions, customs, or ideas and advocate preserving or restoring older conditions.
Reactionaries in the party argued for rolling back recent legislation.
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Adjective 1
opposed to political or social progress; extremely conservative.
Reactionaries often resist changes in education and social policy.
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Last updated: 2025/11/18 07:24