progressive

Pronunciation: /pɹəˈɡɹɛsɪv/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C1 — Advanced

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun a tense of verbs used in describing action that is on-going
  2. noun a person who favors a political philosophy of progress and reform and the protection of civil liberties
  3. adjective favoring or promoting progress

Etymology

From the Middle French progressif, from the Latin prōgressīvus, from prōgredior (perfect participial stem: prōgress-) + -īvus. Displaced native Old English forþgenġe. By surface analysis, progress + -ive.

In classic literature

Synonyms

progressive tense, imperfect, imperfect tense, continuous tense

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
tense
Narrower (hyponyms)
past progressive, present progressive, future progressive

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