Meanings
comparative more deliberative · superlative most deliberative
- That deliberates, considers carefully.
A good system would have been a consummate work of deliberative wisdom
1854, George Bancroft, History of the United States, from the Discovery of the American Continent, volume VI (The American Revolution. Epoch Second. […]), Boston, Mass.: Little, Brown and Company, →OCLC, page 742 more examples
[T]he court of jurisdiction is to be distinguished from the deliberative body, the advisers of the crown.
1827, Henry Hallam, The Constitutional History of England from the Accession of Henry VII. to the Death of George II. […], volume I, London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 53Libertarian paternalism is the view that, because the way options are presented to citizens affects what they choose, society should present options in a way that “nudges” our intuitive selves to make choices that are more consistent with what our more deliberative selves would have chosen if they were in control.
2012 January 28, Steven Sloman, “The Battle Between Intuition and Deliberation”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, archived from the original on 08 Jan 2012, page 74
plural deliberatives
- A discourse in which a question is discussed, or weighed and examined.
A conclusion in a deliberative
1605, Francis Bacon, “(please specify |book=1 or 2)”, in The Twoo Bookes of Francis Bacon. Of the Proficience and Aduancement of Learning, Diuine and Humane, London: […] [Thomas Purfoot and Thomas Creede] for Henrie Tomes, […], →OCLC
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveinvolved in or characterized by deliberation and discussion and examination
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latindeliberativus
- Middle Frenchdélibératif
- Englishdeliberative
From Middle French délibératif, from Latin deliberativus.
More words from Middle French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
deliberative. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deliberative
“deliberative.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deliberative. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “deliberative,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/deliberative.
Source: deliberative on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.