discursive
adjective
Did you know?
The Latin verb discurrere meant "to run about", and from this word we get our word discursive, which often means rambling about over a wide range of topics. A discursive writing style generally isn't encouraged by writing teachers. But some of the great 19th-century writers, such as Charles Lamb and Thomas de Quincey, show that the discursive essay, especially when gracefully written and somewhat personal in tone, can be a pleasure to read. And the man often called the inventor of the essay, the great Michel de Montaigne, might touch on dozens of different topics in the course of a long discursive essay.
Examples of discursive in a Sentence
Helen Shaw, New Yorker, 11 July 2025
Set entirely in Linda’s Manhattan apartment, the film recreates that afternoon and the discursive exchange between the two.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 9 July 2025
Yet in Indiana, those old-school, discursive classes are over-represented on the crudest of chopping blocks.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 July 2025
As a result, the book has a discursive feel but is also very personal.
—John Baldoni, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for discursive
Cite this Entry
“Discursive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/discursive. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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discursive
adjective
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