Definition of "conservatism" []

• The inclination, especially in politics, to maintain the existing or traditional order. (noun)
• A political philosophy or attitude emphasizing respect for traditional institutions, distrust of government activism, and opposition to sudden change in the established order. (noun)
• The principles and policies of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom or of the Progressive Conservative Party in Canada. (noun)
• Caution or moderation, as in behavior or outlook. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "As many cringe when one hears the term conservatism, I must say I was impressed upon reading a question and answer article of two bank CEOs in Texas whose lending practices are more conservative than others."
• "Will the BBC run with that idea or will it instead continue to use the subtlety of language to associate the term conservatism with the worst dregs of radical Islam?"
• "If the "conserve" in the term conservatism has to do with the conservation of civilizational values, then how does one define political stances when those values are already liberal by nature?"