English edit

Alternative forms edit

Etymology edit

From dove +‎ -ish.

Pronunciation edit

Adjective edit

dovish (comparative more dovish, superlative most dovish)

  1. Pertaining to a dove; dove-like.
  2. (figurative) Peaceful, conciliatory.
    Antonym: hawkish
    • 1982 December 10, Ann Hulbert, “What Gender Gap?”, in The New York Times[1], →ISSN:
      According to Kathleen A. Francovic, director of surveys for CBS News, it was the “war and peace” issue that seemed to separate the sexes in 1980, with women predictably perched on the dovish side.
    • 2006 July 18, Jonathan Freedland, The Guardian, page 3:
      Doubtless an expression of frustration at the UN secretary general, who has long been too dovish for Bush administration tastes.
    • 2012, Christopher Clark, The Sleepwalkers, Penguin, published 2013, page 210:
      Caillaux bypassed his Foreign Office in order to impose his own dovish agenda on the negotiations with Berlin [] .
    • 2023 November 15, Helene von Bismarck, “In Europe, we can’t help laughing at David Cameron’s return – but we welcome it too”, in The Guardian[2], →ISSN:
      It is entirely possible, for example, that Cameron’s dovish views on China, criticised by many, will not survive now that he is back in office.
  3. (economics) Disfavoring increasing interest rates; inclined against increasing interest rates.
    Antonym: hawkish
    The Federal Reserve's statement on recent inflation was interpreted as dovish by the market.
    • 1985, Price Stability and Public Policy, page 143:
      A dovish policy keeps unemployment close to 6 percent and lets the price level swing more widely to absorb economic shocks.

Translations edit