- denoting, concerned with, or inclined to contemplation; meditative
- a person dedicated to religious contemplation or to a way of life conducive to this
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
con•tem•pla•tive /kənˈtɛmplətɪv, ˈkɑntəmˌpleɪtɪv/USA pronunciation adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- thoughtful;
thinking deeply or fully:the contemplative tone of his speeches.
con•tem•pla•tive
(kən tem′plə tiv, kon′təm plā′-, -tem-),USA pronunciation adj.
n.
con•tem′pla•tive•ly, adv.
con•tem′pla•tive•ness, n.
- given to or characterized by contemplation:a contemplative mind.
n.
- a person devoted to contemplation, as a monk.
- Latin, as above
- Anglo-French
- Latin contemplātīvus, equivalent. to contemplāt(us) (see contemplate) + -īvus -ive; replacing Middle English contemplatif
- 1300–50
con•tem′pla•tive•ness, n.
- 1. thoughtful, reflective, meditative.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
contemplative /ˈkɒntɛmˌpleɪtɪv; -təm-; kənˈtɛmplə-/ adj
'contemplative' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):