-ary

person associated with

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adjective / noun

reactionary

ree-AK-shuh-nair-ee/riˈækʃəneri/

Favoring a return to earlier political or social conditions.

Etymology

reLatinback, again; restoration or reversal

+actLatindrive, set in motion; do

+ionLatinan action, process, or result

+aryEnglishrelating to

The pieces suggest acting back against another action. In politics, this became resistance aimed at checking or undoing change, giving reactionary its sense of strong opposition to political or social reform.

Full entry

Related word entries

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