Search Result for "discursive": 
Wordnet 3.0

ADJECTIVE (2)

1. proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition;
[syn: dianoetic, discursive]

2. (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects;
- Example: "amusingly digressive with satirical thrusts at women's fashions among other things"
- Example: "a rambling discursive book"
- Example: "his excursive remarks"
- Example: "a rambling speech about this and that"
[syn: digressive, discursive, excursive, rambling]



The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Discursive \Dis*cur"sive\, a. [Cf. F. discursif. See
   Discourse, and cf. Discoursive.]
   1. Passing from one thing to another; ranging over a wide
      field; roving; digressive; desultory. "Discursive
      notices." --De Quincey.
      [1913 Webster]

            The power he [Shakespeare] delights to show is not
            intense, but discursive.              --Hazlitt.
      [1913 Webster]

            A man rather tacit than discursive.   --Carlyle.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. Reasoning; proceeding from one ground to another, as in
      reasoning; argumentative.
      [1913 Webster]

            Reason is her being,
            Discursive or intuitive.              --Milton.
      -- Dis*cur"sive*ly, adv. -- Dis*cur"sive*ness, n.
      [1913 Webster]


WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

discursive
    adj 1: proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather
           than intuition [syn: dianoetic, discursive]
    2: (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main
       point or cover a wide range of subjects; "amusingly
       digressive with satirical thrusts at women's fashions among
       other things"; "a rambling discursive book"; "his excursive
       remarks"; "a rambling speech about this and that" [syn:
       digressive, discursive, excursive, rambling]