paleoconservative

noun

pa·leo·con·ser·va·tive ˌpā-lē-ō-kən-ˈsər-və-tiv

plural paleoconservatives

: a conservative supporting or promoting extreme political conservatism and social conservatism

The paleoconservatives were a major voice in the Republican Party for many years. … They adhere to the normal conservative triad of nationalism, free markets, and moral traditionalism, but they put greater weight on the nationalist leg of the stool—leading to a more strident form of anti-immigrant politics …, an isolationist foreign policy …, and a deep skepticism of economic globalization …—

Dylan Matthews

called also paleo, paleocon

paleoconservative adjective

a paleoconservative journal

paleoconservativism

ˌpā-lē-ō-kən-ˈsər-və-ti-ˌvi-zəm

noun

Examples of paleoconservative in a Sentence

paleoconservatives who would never sanction gambling casinos in their state

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The New York Times columnist has penned an unusually smart article identifying the late paleoconservative writer Samuel T. Francis as a prophet of Trumpism. —

Jeet Heer, New Republic, 22 Sep. 2017 In his final act of excommunication, Buckley took a stand against the paleoconservative Pat Buchanan in 1991 for expressing opposition to the Persian Gulf war in terms that were both incendiary and undeniably anti-Semitic. —

Damon Linker, New York Times, 8 May 2017

Word History

Etymology

paleo- + conservative entry 2 (opposed to neoconservative)

First Known Use

1979, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of paleoconservative was in 1979

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Paleoconservative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paleoconservative. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Copy Citation