Dovish

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈdʌvɪʃ/

Definitions

1. Advocating for peaceful resolutions through diplomacy rather than forceful measures while exhibiting a gentle and accommodating nature
2. Favoring negotiation and compromise over conflict ; displaying a soft and kind temperament
3. Promoting peaceful solutions instead of aggression ; having a tender or non-aggressive demeanor

Etymology: The word is a plain formation: the noun "dove," the bird long used as a symbol of peace, with the adjectival suffix "-ish" attached. Its meaning follows the bird's symbolism. "Dove" has stood for gentleness and peace since at least the biblical story of the dove returning to Noah's ark with an olive branch, so a person inclined toward negotiation rather than force was described as having dove-like qualities. The suffix traces back through Old English "-isc" and Proto-Germanic "-iskaz" to an ancient root shared by many Germanic adjectives meaning "of the kind of" or "belonging to." Attaching it to "dove" gave English a way to describe a stance rather than a bird. The result is a word that means, literally, "dove-like."

Synonyms: peaceful, pacifist, conciliatory, nonviolent, amenable

Antonyms: hawkish, belligerent, aggressive, militant, warlike