progressive English · revision 5853

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1600|origins=fr progressif}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /prəˈɡres.ɪv/, /prəʊˈɡres.ɪv/, US /prəˈɡres.ɪv/, /proʊˈɡres.ɪv/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|fr|progressif]] (feminine progressive) or Medieval Latin progressivus,^(SOED 2002)^(NODE 1998)^(Klein 1966) from progress-, the past participle stem of [[m|la|prōgredī|t=to go forward]] (see [[progress]]);^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998)^(Klein 1966) Etymonline and MWU also allow a formation in English from progress and [[-ive]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Going forward, characterized by advancement: about 1600 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) proceeding by stages in a series in the early 17th century, 1620 in the OED.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989) Of persons or communities making progress, 1607–12.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Moving forward in space is from 1644 in the OED.^(OED 1989) Of a disease growing steadily worse, it is from the mid-18th century,^(SOED 2002) and of a tax whose rate rises with the sum taxed from the late 18th century in the SOED and 1889 in Etymonline.^(SOED 2002)^(Etymonline) Card games and dances with successive changes of partners were progressive from the late 19th century, 1875 for euchre and whist.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989) In politics, favouring reform, it emerged in Britain from the 1880s,^(Etymonline) and in the United States it named a reform movement active from the 1890s for a generation; the name has been taken up again from time to time, most recently by more liberal Democrats about 2000.^(Etymonline) The noun for a person who favours change in the name of progress is by 1865, first in Christianity.^(Etymonline) In the arts, avant-garde or innovative is from 1908, and of jazz from 1947.^(Etymonline) In grammar it became another name for the continuous tense in the early 20th century.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1600 – going forward.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1620 – proceeding in a series.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1644 – moving onward.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-18th century – of a disease.^(SOED 2002)

+ * 1865 – the noun, an advocate of progress.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1880s – favouring political reform.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1889 – of taxation.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1908 – avant-garde.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1947 – progressive jazz.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Favouring political or social [[reform]] and new ideas.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Proceeding by steps; increasing gradually: ''a progressive disease''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Of a [[tax]], rising in rate as the amount taxed rises.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Moving forward or onward.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(grammar)'' Expressing an action in progress, as in ''is walking''; [[continuous]].^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Of education, stressing individual needs and informal methods.^(SOED 2002)^(AHD)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who favours progress or reform.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(Progressive)'' A member of a Progressive Party, as in American history.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[progressively]]

+ * [[progressiveness]]

+ * [[antiprogressive]]

+ * [[nonprogressive]]

+ * [[progressivism]]

+ * [[progressivity]]

+ * [[ultraprogressive]]

+ * [[unprogressive]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[progress]]

+ * [[progression]]

+ * [[regressive]]

+ * [[aggressive]]

+ * [[grade]]

+ * [[digress]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}