Definition of Discursive

1. Adjective. Proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition.

Exact synonyms: Dianoetic
Category relationships: Philosophy
Similar to: Logical
Derivative terms: Discursiveness

2. Adjective. (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects. "A rambling speech about this and that"
Exact synonyms: Digressive, Excursive, Rambling
Similar to: Indirect
Derivative terms: Digress, Discursiveness

Definition of Discursive

1. a. Passing from one thing to another; ranging over a wide field; roving; digressive; desultory.

Definition of Discursive

1. Adjective. (context: of speech or writing) Tending to digress from the main point; rambling. ¹

2. Adjective. (philosophy) Using reason and argument rather than intuition. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Discursive

1. [adj]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Discursive

disculpatory
discumbency
discumber
discumbered
discumbering
discumbers
discure
discured
discures
discuring
discurrent
discursion
discursions
discursist
discursists
discursive (current term)
discursively
discursiveness
discursory
discus
discus articularis
discus articularis acromioclavicularis
discus articularis radioulnaris
discus articularis sternoclavicularis
discus articularis temporomandibularis
discus fish
discus fishes
discus intervertebralis
discus lentiformis

Literary usage of Discursive

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Works of Thomas Hill Green by Thomas Hill Green, Richard Lewis Nettleship (1890)
"the principles of discursive cognition is dependent on objects of empirical intuition being given. These given, the dynamical principle of the understanding ..."

2. An Introduction to the Study of Language by Leonard Bloomfield (1914)
"The substratum of the interrelation of words in a sentence is formed by the binary discursive groupings of predication and attribution (p. ..."

3. The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences: Founded Upon Their History by William Whewell (1847)
"discursive Reasoning.—WE have thus seen that our notions of space, time, ... But we may here notice that such processes are termed discursive, in opposition ..."

4. History of Scientific Ideas: Being the First Part of The Philosophy of the by William Whewell (1858)
"discursive Reasoning.—WE have thus seen that our notions of space, time, ... But we may here notice that such processes are termed discursive, in opposition ..."

5. New Englander and Yale Review by Edward Royall Tyler, William Lathrop Kingsley, George Park Fisher, Timothy Dwight (1862)
"CONSCIENCE AS CONTRASTED WITH TIIE discursive REASON. HE who would indicate more clearly the office and authority of conscience, and give such prominence as ..."

6. The Psychology of Childhood by Frederick Tracy (1896)
"The older person is confined within the barriers of memory and experience, the younger breathes the free air of creative fancy." V. THE discursive PROCESSES ..."

7. Psychology: The Cognitive Powers by James McCosh (1889)
"THE discursive OPERATIONS. BY these we proceed from something given or allowed ... Upon this we may perform discursive processes and still keep it singular. ..."

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