a. [ Cf. F. progressif. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Moving forward; proceeding onward; advancing; evincing progress; increasing; as, progressive motion or course; -- opposed to retrograde. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Improving; as, art is in a progressive state. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. (U. S. History) Of or pertaining to the Progressive party. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

4. Favoring improvement, change, progress, or reform, especially in a political context; -- used of people. Contrasted with conservative. [ PJC ]

☞ The term progressive is sometimes used to describe the views of a politician, where liberal might have been used at one time, in communities where the term liberal has come to connote extreme views. [ PJC ]

5. Disposed toward adopting new methods in government or education, holding tolerant and liberal ideas, and generally favoring improvement in civic life; -- of towns and communities. [ PJC ]

Progressive euchre or
Progressive whist, a way of playing at card parties, by which after every game, the losers at the first table go to the last table, and the winners at all the tables, except the first, move up to the next table. --
Progressive muscular atrophy (Med.), a nervous disorder characterized by continuous atrophy of the muscles. [ 1913 Webster ]

-- Pro*gress"ive*ly, adv. -- Pro*gress"ive*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

. (U. S. History) The political party formed, chiefly out of the Republican party, by the adherents of Theodore Roosevelt in the presidential campaign of 1912. The name Progressive party was chosen at the meeting held on Aug. 7, 1912, when the candidates were nominated and the platform adopted. It was also known as the Bull Moose Party. Among the chief articles in the platform are those demanding direct primaries, preferential primaries for presidential nominations, direct election of United States senators, women's suffrage, and recall of judicial decisions in certain cases. In 1924 the label was also adopted by the party supporting the presidential campaign of Robert M. La Follette, and in 1948 it was also adopted by the party of Henry Wallace. The party is no longer (1998) considered a force in U. S. national politics. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. + PJC ]