Rightish

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈɹaɪtɪʃ/

Definitions

1. Having political views that lean somewhat toward the right or conservatism but are not fully right-wing
2. Inclined to favor right-wing ideologies to a moderate extent without complete alignment
3. Exhibiting a political stance that is mildly conservative, closer to right-wing beliefs than centrist or leftist

Etymology: "Rightish" is about as transparent as English compounds get: the adjective "right" with the suffix "-ish," meaning "somewhat" or "to a degree." Something rightish is somewhat right, or more to the point in politics, somewhat rightward in its leanings without being fully committed to the far-right end of the spectrum. The suffix does most of the work here. "-ish" has been attached to English adjectives and nouns since Old English, producing senses like "tending toward" (reddish, greenish) or "approximately" (fortyish, tallish). Applying it to "right" follows that same pattern, so the word needs no special history beyond the combination itself. The political sense of "right" that the word leans on dates to the French Revolution, when supporters of the monarchy and the old order sat on the right side of the National Assembly. "Rightish" then borrows that seating-chart metaphor, letting a speaker place a view somewhere short of the extreme without naming a party.

Synonyms: conservative, right-wing

Antonyms: leftish, liberal