I. prəˈgresiv, prōˈ-, -sēv also -səv adjective
Etymology: progress (II) & progress ion + -ive
1.
a. : of, relating to, or characterized by progress : devoted to or evincing continuous improvement : making use of or interested in new ideas, inventions, or opportunities
a young man of progressive tastes — H.S.Canby
he was … of progressive tendencies — E.H.Jenkins
a practical, progressive , hard-driving American city — American Guide Series: Louisiana
the art of stage design is progressive — Times Literary Supplement
b. : of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory or doctrine that opposes itself to traditional education proposing greater emphasis on the individual child, the use of projects and activities for teaching purposes, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression
2. : of, relating to, or characterized by progression : occurring or arranged in a series : advancing or becoming effective by successive stages
the price may be the progressive deterioration of our faculties — W.R.Inge
progressive changes of compressed decaying plant materials to peat … and finally anthracite coal — R.W.Murray
the progressive complexity of business relationship — Helen Sullivan
the progressive forms of that animal life were struggling for a foothold on the land — W.E.Swinton
3. : moving forward or onward : advancing
the progressive currents, drifts, and eddies of the wide ocean — R.E.Coker
4. : increasing in extent or severity — used of a disease, lesion, or symptom
5. often capitalized : of, relating to, or constituting a political party advocating or associated with the principles of political progressivism
6. : marked by progression from one place to another: as
a. of a card party : characterized by the moving between rounds of the winners at each table to a higher or next table and the changing of partners
b. of a meal : having its courses served at different locations
7. : of, relating to, or constituting a verb form that expresses action or state in progress or continuance at the time of speaking or a time spoken of
am seeing, had been seeing, is being seen are progressive forms
8. : having the nature of the second of two sounds dependent on the nature of the first
progressive assimilation or palatalization
9. : of or relating to a tax or taxation imposed on an individual that increases by a given amount with increases in the tax base — used chiefly of income and death taxes
10. : relating to or characterized by burning (as of perforated grains of smokeless powder) in which the surface increases as the burning advances — opposed to degressive
Synonyms: see liberal
II. noun
( -s )
1.
a. : one that is progressive
b. : one holding political convictions based on a belief in moderate change designed to improve the condition of the majority of the people and willing to use governmental power to bring about change : one believing in change as a desirable means of achieving specified goals — compare conservative , liberal
2. usually capitalized
a. : a member of a United States political party: as
(1) : a member of a predominantly agrarian minor party split off from the Republicans in the early 20th century and advocating domestic reforms designed primarily to reduce the power of and eliminate abuses alleged to be perpetrated by the great industrial and financial interests ; specifically : bull moose
(2) : a follower of Robert M. La Follette in the presidential campaign of 1924
(3) : a follower of Henry A. Wallace in the presidential campaign of 1948
(4) : a member of a left-wing minor party split off from the Democrats and usually associated with essentially socialist domestic policies and a pro-Russian foreign policy
b. : a member of a primarily agrarian Canadian political party advocating low tariffs, nationalization of railways, and direct democracy (as through the use of the initiative, referendum, and recall) and achieving its chief strength in the early 1920s