Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
- adj. Characterized by reaction, especially opposition to progress or liberalism; extremely conservative.
- n. An opponent of progress or liberalism; an extreme conservative.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
- adj. Opposed to change; urging a return to a previous state.
- adj. Very conservative.
- n. One who is opposed to change.
- n. One who is very conservative.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
- adj. Being, causing, or favoring reaction.
- n. One who favors reaction, or seeks to undo political progress or revolution.
from The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
- Of or pertaining to reaction in general; consisting of or characterized by reflex or reciprocal action; reactive.
- Specifically Of or pertaining to political reaction; favoring reaction: as, reactionary principles or movements.
- n. A promoter of reaction; specifically, one who attempts to check, undo, or reverse political action.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- adj. extremely conservative
- n. an extreme conservative; an opponent of progress or liberalism
Etymologies
From French réactionnaire. Used in the time of the French revolution to refer to a person opposing the revolution; as in a person favoring a reaction to the revolution. First known usage in English in a translation of Lazare Carnot's letter on the Conspiracy of the 18th Fructidor published in London, 1799. (Wiktionary)
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