Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • Like a dove; innocent.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective Like a dove; harmless; innocent.
  • adjective advocating peace, compromise or conciliation rather than war or conflict. Opposite of hawkish

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adjective Like a dove; peaceful, conciliatory.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective opposed to war

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From dove +‎ -ish.

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Examples

  • Minneapolis Fed governor Kocherlakota gave a speech too, that news agencies described as dovish (see lower), but which we believe shouldn't be the reason for the rise of Treasuries.

    FXstreet.com KBC Bank 2010

  • Minneapolis Fed governor Kocherlakota gave a speech too, that news agencies described as dovish (see lower), but which we believe shouldn't be the reason for the rise of Treasuries.

    FXstreet.com KBC Bank 2010

  • The pound posted more losses against the euro after a speech by Bank of England Governor Mervyn King was interpreted as relatively "dovish," or more concerned about stimulating economic growth than inflation.

    Pound Skids on GDP Data Neil Shah 2011

  • The "dovish" Biden position called for relying primarily on assassination, while the "hawkish" McChrystal stance embraced both assassination and more troops.

    Fred Branfman: Petraeus Must Go: Mass Assassination of Muslims Threatens Us All 2010

  • But some economists are still starting to fret given recent "dovish" or inflation-friendly moves by European central bankers.

    Europe's Newest Risk: Inflation 2010

  • The "dovish" Biden position called for relying primarily on assassination, while the "hawkish" McChrystal stance embraced both assassination and more troops.

    Fred Branfman: Petraeus Must Go: Mass Assassination of Muslims Threatens Us All Fred Branfman 2010

  • The irony is that Netanyahu himself is going to appear as somewhat "dovish" in his new government.

    It's Netanyahu Again Shunit Harpaz 2010

  • The irony is that Netanyahu himself is going to appear as somewhat "dovish" in his new government.

    Shunit Harpaz: It's Netanyahu Again 2010

  • But as to the West Bank and the Palestinian Authority, Mr. Netanyahu has a great historic opportunity to accomplish what his more "dovish" predecessor, the Kadima Party government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, and now leader Tzipi Livni, have tried but were unable to achieve.

    Lanny Davis: Netanyahu Can Be Israel's Nixon-to-China Peacemaker 2009

  • Were Netanyahu, forced by strong U.S. pressure, to go along with a "dovish" initiative, he would almost certainly face right-wing defections from his coalition and even within his own Likud faction.

    Natan Sachs: Life of an Israeli Government: Nasty, Brutish and Short 2009

Comments

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  • Docile, easy-going, dove-like.

    June 20, 2008