Word of the Day - 10/30/25
discursive
/dɪ'skɜrsɪv/(adj.): proceeding to a conclusion by reason or argument rather than intuition
The philosopher's essay presented a discursive argument, meticulously building its case with logical steps.
(adj.): (of e.g. speech and writing) tending to depart from the main point or cover a wide range of subjects
Her discursive lecture wandered through various historical anecdotes before finally addressing the core topic.
Word Origin
The word 'discursive' originates from the Late Latin 'discursivus', which means 'running to and fro'. It comes from the Latin verb 'discurrere', meaning 'to run about, wander, or discourse'. The verb 'discurrere' itself is formed from the prefix 'dis-', meaning 'apart' or 'away', and 'currere', meaning 'to run'. Thus, 'discursive' literally refers to moving or running in different directions, which evolved into its modern sense of moving from one subject to another in a rambling or analytical manner.
Words with similar origins, stemming from the Latin 'currere' (to run) or 'cursus' (a running), include 'course' (from Latin 'cursus'), 'current' (from Latin 'currens', present participle of 'currere'), 'cursor' (from Latin 'cursor', a runner), 'excursion' (from Latin 'excursio', a running out), 'concur' (from Latin 'concurrere', to run together), and 'recurrent' (from Latin 'recurrere', to run back).