Conservatively

Part of speech: adverb

Definitions

1. In a way that emphasizes caution and traditional values
2. In a manner that avoids risk and maintains established practices
3. Acting with prudence and reluctance to change or take chances

Etymology: "Conservatively" is a straightforward formation: the adjective "conservative" with the adverb-forming suffix "-ly" added to the end. The adjective itself comes from Latin "conservativus", meaning "preserving", built from "conservare" ("to keep safe, preserve"), and reached English by way of Old French, where the idea of preserving or keeping intact was already attached to it. The suffix is the older and more interesting piece. "-ly" began as a full word meaning "body" or "form", related to "like" in the sense of "similar in form." In Old English, "-līċe" was attached to adjectives to create adverbs, so "good" became "gōdlīċe" and so on. Over centuries the ending wore down to "-ly" and became the default way to turn adjectives into manner adverbs in English. So "conservatively" carries a Latin core wrapped in a Germanic ending, a combination that is typical of much of English vocabulary.

Synonyms: cautiously, pragmatically, moderately

Antonyms: recklessly, liberally