discursive

[dih-skur-siv]

adjective

1. passing aimlessly from one subject to another; digressive; rambling.

   Synonyms: prolix, long-winded, wandering

2. proceeding by reasoning or argument rather than intuition.

discursive

/ dɪˈskɜːsɪv /

adjective

1. passing from one topic to another, usually in an unmethodical way; digressive

2. philosophy of or relating to knowledge obtained by reason and argument rather than intuition Compare dianoetic

Other Word Forms

• discursively adverb
• discursiveness noun
• nondiscursive adjective
• nondiscursively adverb
• nondiscursiveness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of discursive¹

From the Medieval Latin word discursīvus, dating back to 1590–1600. See discourse, -ive

Word History and Origins

Origin of discursive¹

C16: from Medieval Latin discursīvus, from Late Latin discursus _discourse

Example Sentences

Apart from some surveillance, tailing suspects, one fatal encounter and an occasional chase, there’s little in the way of capital-A Action, mostly just a lot of talk — inquisitive, instructive, threatening, discursive, domestic or speechifying.

From Los Angeles Times

“Cordially” is a little too jumpy for its own good, but its discursive heart is in the right place for these grievous times.

From Los Angeles Times

But few of Trump's discursive asides carried as much weight as the announcement that he planned to levy further tariffs on imported pharmaceuticals.

From Salon

The sketch served as a showcase for Johnson's discursive and oddly inflected take on Trump, ranging from bits about Cheesecake Factory to the uninhabited islands that the Trump admin subjected to a 10% import tariff.

From Salon

Fans of Nunez’s tartly discursive yet flowing novel will likely miss the snap of its critical observations on literary mind-sets and whatnot.

From Los Angeles Times