— conservatively , adv. — conservativeness , n.
/keuhn serr"veuh 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. ( often cap. ) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5. ( cap. ) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6. having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.
7. Math. (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. a supporter of conservative political policies.
10. ( cap. ) a member of a conservative political party, esp. the Conservative party in Great Britain.
11. a preservative.
[ 1350-1400; conservativus, equiv. to L conservat ( us ) (see CONSERVATION) + -ivus -IVE; r. ME conservatif MF ]