Main Entry:

¹pro·gres·sive

Pronunciation:

\prə-ˈgre-siv\

Function:

adjective

Date:

circa 1612

1 a: of, relating to, or characterized by progress b: making use of or interested in new ideas, findings, or opportunities c: of, relating to, or constituting an educational theory marked by emphasis on the individual child, informality of classroom procedure, and encouragement of self-expression2: of, relating to, or characterized by progression3: moving forward or onward : advancing4 a: increasing in extent or severity <a progressive disease> b: increasing in rate as the base increases <a progressive tax>5often capitalized : of or relating to political Progressives6: of, relating to, or constituting a verb form that expresses action or state in progress at the time of speaking or a time spoken of7: of, relating to, or being a multifocal lens with a gradual transition between focal lengths<progressive bifocals>8: or, relating to, or using a method of video scanning (as for television or a computer monitor) in which the horizontal lines of each frame are drawn successively from top to bottom — compare interlaced

— pro·gres·sive·ly adverb

— pro·gres·sive·ness noun